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The Relation of Baptism 



TO THE 



Remission of Alien Sins 



BY 

J. B. Briney 



Editor of Briney's iVionthly, and Author of The Form 
of Baptism, The Temptations of Christ, Etc. 






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PUBIvISH^D BY 

THE BRINEY PUBLISHING CO. 

MOBERIvY, MISSOURI. 



J. E. McQuitty, Printer, Moberly, Mo, 



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THf LISftARY mf 

C€>NGRF.SS, 
Two Copies RecEfves 

MAY. 10 1902 

COP»VPH(JHT PNTRV 

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Copyrighte:d 1902 

BY 

The; Briney Pubi^ishing Company 



PREFACE. 



It is thought that there is at present a demand 
for a restatement of the teaching of the Scrip- 
tures on the subject of the remission of sins. 
For quite a while there has been a tendency 
among the disciples to clothe this question in 
the garb of mere sentimentalism, and neglect the 
plain teaching of the word of God on the subject. 
If any question is clearly and plainly set forth in 
the New Testament, it is the matter of the par- 
don of the sins of an alien sinner. To ignore or 
compromise the conditions, in whole or in part, 
upon which God has promised to forgive sins, is 
to be disloyal to the King of kings and Lord of 
lords, and handle the word of God deceitfully. 
Teaching that is calculated to lead people to 
believe that their sins are pardoned before they 
obey the gosj)el of Jesus Christ — before they 
comply with the conditions of pardon as they are 
given in the gospel dishonors Christ, makes 



4 PREFACE. 

void^the word of God, and leads people to a false 
hope. It is the business of the ministers of 
Christ to preach His word and not their own. 
They have a special and definite commission 
which tells them to say to the people, ''He that 
believeth and is baptized shall be saved," and 
loyalty to Him requires persistent fidelity to this 
commission. ''If ye love me, ye will keex) ^y 
commandments," said the Master, and we do 
well to give heed to His words. 

Those who preach in the name of the Christ 
are not authorized to load their commission down 
with explanations and modifications, in accom- 
modation to the whims of such as do not propose 
to accept salvation on the plain terms of the 
gospel. Nor are they empowered to tell what the 
Lord will do in cases where "honest mistakes" 
are made. This is a matter that God has set 
within His own authority, and He will do right 
about it; but He has not delegated His ministers 
to tell what He will do. Their business is to 
preach the gospel and offer salvation to men on 
the terms of the commission as given by the 
Savior and illustrated in the teaching and practice 
of His apostles. Revealed things belong to us, 



PREFACE. O 

and when we give due attention to these, we will 
have no time left to devote to meddling with 
secret things that belong to God. ''Let him that 
hath my word, speak my word faithfully," saith 
Jehovah, and the Holy Spirit says, ' 'Preach the 
word.- ' The gospel, in its provisions for human 
salvation, is perfectly plain, and all that its 
gracious Author asks of His ministers is to preach 
it faithfully and fully. All efforts to explain it 
are like efforts of a lightning bug to help the 
sun shine at noon on a clear day! Explanations 
of the gospel are usually obscurations of it. 
Preachers should preach the gospel and tell 
people what to do to be saved according to its 
terms, and leave all untaught questions to be 
settled by the Judge of all the earth. 

The following pages aim to set forth the unve- 
neered teaching of the word of (xod on the sub- 
ject of which they treat. They make no effort to 
tone down or blunt the plain declarations of 
divine truth. They are willing to let God speak 
for Himself, and to allow His words to go to the 
people just as He uttered them. They make no 
effort to lead perishing souls to expect salvation 
before they reach the promises of the gospel. 



6 PREFACE, 

They aim to impress upon tiie minds of men 
the solemn truth that they have no promise of 
salvation till they obey the gospel of the Son 
of God- The words that our Lord spoke are 
to judge those who hear them, in the great day of 
final accounts, and the writer does not care to be 
responsible for the slighting of those words by 
any human being. He wants his skirts to be 
free from the blood of all men. The word of God 
should not be bound by human speculations and 
philosophies. Encumbering the gospel with 
these things is like galvanizing pure gold. Let 
it have free course that it may run and be glorified. 

J. B. Briney. 
Moberly, Mo., May, 1902. 



THE DESIGN OF BAPTISM 



PART I. 



CHAPTER L 

WHAT THE SCRIPTURES SAY OlST THE SUBJECT. 

"No man can prove from the Bible that baptism 
has no important connection with salvation; 
and no man can prove that by neglecting it, he 
will be as likely to obtain the divine favor as 
he would by observing it." — Dr. Albert Barnes. 

"And to such indeed (i. e. believers) we readily 
grant baptism is to be administered in order to 
their salvation, according to the terms of the 
gospel." — Dr. John Gale. 

Dr. Barnes is the Presbyterian commentator 
who wrote Barnes' Notes, and Dr. Gale is the 
English Baptist who so ably reviewed Dr. Wall's 
History of Infant Baptism. The reader will find 
abundant support for the former's negative 
statement, and the latter' s positive declaration, 
in the following Scriptures: 



8 THE DESIGN OF BAPTISM. 

"John came, who preached the baptism of 
repentance unto remission of sins." — Mark 1 : 4. 

''And he (John) came into all the region round 
about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repent- 
ance unto remission of sins." — Luke 3:3. 

"Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all 
nations, baptizing them into the name of the 
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." — 
Matt. 28:19. 

"Go ye into all the world, and preach the 
gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth 
and is baptized shall be saved; but he that 
disbelieveth shall be condemned." — Mk. 16:15-16. 

"And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be 
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus 
Christ unto the remission of your sins: and ye 
shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." — 
Acts 2:38. 

"And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be 
baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the 
name of the Lord." — Acts 22: 16. 

"We who died to sin, how shall we any longer 
live therein? Or are ye ignorant, that all we who 
were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized 
into his death? We were buried therefore with 



THE DESIGN OF BAPTISM. 9 

him through baptism into death." — Rom. 6:2-4. 

"But now that faith is come, we are no longer 
under a tutor. For ye are all sons of God, 
through faith, in Christ Jesus. For as many of 
you as were baptized into Christ did put on 
Christ."— Gal. 3: 25-27. 

''But when the kindness of God our Savior, 
and his love toward man, appeared, not by works 
done in righteous, which we did ourselves, but 
according to his mercy he saved us, through the 
washing of regeneration and renewing of the 
Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon us richly, 
through Jesus Christ our Savior." — Tit. 3: 4, 5. 

"In which (spirit) also he went and preached 
unto the spirits in prison, which aforetime were 
disobedient, when the longsuffering of God 
waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a 
preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were 
saved through water: which also after a true like- 
ness doth now save you, even baptism, not the 
putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the inter- 
rogation of a good conscience toward God, through 
the resurrection of Jesus Christ." — 1 Peter 
3:19-21. 

The teaching of these passages as regards the 



10 TPIE DESIGN OF BAPTISM. 

purpose of baptism, is so clear and unambiguous 
that it almost seems like a reflection upon the 
intelligence of the reader to enter upon the work 
of explanation; and there would be no occasion 
for such work, but for the existence and effect of 
certain theological tenets that stand opposed to 
the obvious import of these scriptures. In view 
of such tenets I feel justified in calling particular 
attention, by way of emphasis, to the plain and 
necessary meaning of the foregoing declarations 
of the word of God. 

It is always best to begin at the beginning, 
and hence I start with the first two passages cited 
above, which show the design of John's baptism. 
The substitution of "unto" in the Revised 
Version, for ''for" in the Common Version, is a 
great help to the student of the English 
Scriptures, who is in search of their true meaning. 
The word ''for" is ambiguous, and may refer to 
an accomplished fact on account of which 
something else is to be done, or to an end to be 
gained by doing something else. Therefore "for" 
is undecisive of the question as to whether baptism 
looks back to remission as already accomplished, 
or forward to remission as an end to be attained. 



THE DESIGN OF BAPTISM. 11 

But ''unto'' removes all ambignity and obscurity, 
for it is a word that always looks forward to a 
point to be reached, or a result to be obtained. 
It never suggests a backward look, nor does it 
express the idea that the point or end involved 
has already been reached or passed. John 
preached the baptism of repentance ''unto'' the 
remission of sins, thus teaching the people to look 
forward to remission as something to be reached 
through baptism. This explains the conduct of 
the people in confessing their sins in baptism. 
It was natural for them to confess in baptism the 
sins whose remission they were taught to look for 
through baj)tism. So far as John's baptism is 
concerned it was certainly for the remission of 
sins. 

This is the proper place to notice a passage that 
is frequently used in opposition to the idea that 
"unto" and the Greek word {eis) that it trans- 
lates, look forward to an end to be attained. "I 
indeed bajjtize you with (in) water unto {eis) 
repentance." — Matt. 3 : 5. It is claimed by some 
that in this case the preposition looks back to 
repentance as already accomplished, and that the 
baptism was on account of the repentance. If this 



12 THE DESIGIN^ OF BAPTISM. 

contention were well-founded it would only prove 
that this case is an exception to the rule as regards 
the telic force of the preposition. That this is 
the rule, no competent critic will call in question. 
Lexical authority on the subject is represented 
by Prof. Thayer, who says: ''It denotes the end." 
The following from Dr. Winer gives what the 
Greek grammarians understand in regard to the 
matter: ''Used tropically, of ideal relations, it 
denotes any aim or end." This author further 
says : ' 'In treating of prepositions i t is necessary, 
in the first place, to seize with clearness and 
precision the true primary meaning of each from 
which all its applications emanate as from a 
common centre, and to trace back to this all the 
various shades of meaning the preposition may 
have assumed." The primary meaning of eis is 
"into," as all scholars know; and to this 
signification it is perfectly easy to trace the 
secondary meaning "in order to." In its primary 
meaning the preposition carries one into some- 
thing in connection with a verb of motion, that 
one was not in before; and in its secondary 
meaning as applied to an end, it leads to the 
possession of something that one did not possess 



V 



THE DESIGN OF BAPTISM. 13 

before. The transition is easy, natural, and 
obvious. But it is not possible to trace "because 
of" as a secondary meaning of eis, to "into" as 
its primary meaning. There is no sort of logical 
connection between the two — nothing in one to 
suggest the other. Anj^ alleged meaning of the 
preposition that cannot be traced to its primarj^ 
meaning by a logical connection, is no meaning 
at all. It follows, therefore, that "because of" 
is not a true meaning of eis. 

From the foregoing reasoning it follows with 
force that "because of" is not a meaning of the 
preposition that is translated "unto," and hence 
John did not say : "I indeed baptize you because 
of repentance." But does eis retain its telic 
force in this passage? If so, then John said, "I 
indeed baptize you in order to repentance." In 
his great commentary on the New Testament Dr. 
Meyer, commenting on this passage, says : ''eis 
metanoian (unto repentance) denotes the telic 
reference of the baptism, which imposes an 
obligation to repentance." Dr. Bloomfield, in 
his Greek Testament with English Notes, says : 
' 'The eis denotes purpose. This is a brief phrase, 
adverting to the solemn engagement entered into 
by the baptized, to 'cease to do evil, and learn 



14 THE DESIGN OF BAPTISM. 

to do well.''' Dr. Harper, of the University of 
Chicago, replying to a question as to the force of 
eis in Matt. 3:11, and Acts 2:38, after saying that 
there is strictly no grammatical reason why the 
preposition should not look backward in these 
passages, continues as follows : ''But the telic 
force is so much more common and so 
much more obvious in these latter cases, 
that the writer would probably have chosen 
some other form of expression, less open to 
misunderstanding, if he had desired to express the 
idea you express." Dr. John A. Broaddus, than 
whom the Baptist church of America, has not 
produced a greater scholar, writes of this 
passage as follows: ''Unto repentance. The 
most natural way to understand this preposition, 
with its case {els, unto), in Greek, as in English, 
would be 'in order that you may repent.'" A 
little further along, after stating that some urge 
that the preposition here must "denote the 
occasion or ground of the baptizing," he say' s : 
"But it is best to adhere, if possible, to the 
common and most natural sense 'in order to.' " 
These distinguished scholars see nothing in this 
passage to keep them from understanding "unto" 
{eis) in its usual or telic sense. 



CHAPTER II. 



Christ's baptism. 



Having seen that John's baptism was unto (in 
order to) the remission of sins, let us proceed to 
inquire into the purpose of Christ's baptism as it 
is presented by the Master Himself in the Great 
Commission. Here the matter is presented in a 
very clear and strong light. "Baptizing them 
into the name of the Father and of the Son and of 
the Holy Spirit." This makes it perfectly plain 
that the baptism of the commission puts its 
subjects into a relation with the Father, Son and 
Holy Spirit, that they did not previously occupy. 
When a man goes into a house he changes his 
relation to the house completely. He now enjoys 
its protection from cold and storm, and in 
various ways benefits come to him from the house 
that were not his before. It is the same as 
regards the matter now under consideration. 
When a proper subject is baptized he comes into 
a relation to God and Christ and the Holy Spirit 

IS 



16 CHRIST'S BAPTISM. 

that he did not sustain to them before, and 
receives and enjoys the blessings that grow out 
of this new relation. That one of these blessings 
is remission of sins is obvious. One who is 
pardoned is justified, sanctihed, adopted, saved, 
and can come into no new relation to God in this 
world. Hence remission comes in assuming this 
new relation. 

But this is made plainer in the following 
statement: ''He that believeth and is baptized 
shall be saved." According to all rules of 
interpretation and laws of language this puts 
salvation after baptism, — makes salvation an end 
to be reached by a believer through baptism. A 
wealthy man dies and leaves a will which says, 
"Every resident of the town who can read and 
write, shall have one hundred dollars." No 
argument is needed to show that a person must 
be able to read and write in order to have any 
claim upon a hundred dollars under this will. 
Of a productive country it is said, ''Every one 
who sows and reaps shall have bread." Here it 
is perfectly plain that both sowing and reaping 
are necessary to the procurement of bread. There 
is absolutely no room for doubt or misunder- 



CHRIST S BAPTISM. 17 

standing in these matters. But these statements 
are no plainer, no less ambiguous, than our 
Savior's declaration concerning salvation. It 
as certainly comes after faith and baptism as the 
hundred dollars come after reading and writing, 
and the bread after sowing and reaping. But 
salvation includes remission of sins, and hence 
baptism is for the remission of sins to a believer. 
If this may be disputed, then no proposition can 
be made in human speech that may not be 
disputed. 

This is the will or covenant of the Lord Jesus 
Christ by which He makes provisions for the 
salvation of sinners, and it is presumption to 
expect salvation short of compliance with the 
terms of the will. It is proper and important to 
ascertain when this will went into effect. It is a 
well known fact that wills do not become 
operative till after the death of their makers, and 
Paul applies this general principle to the will or 
covenant of Christ : ''For where a testament is 
(in force), there must of necessity be the death of 
him that made it. For a testament is of force 
where there has been death : for doth it ever 
avail while he that made it liveth?" — Hebrews 



18 Christ's baptism 

9 : 16, 17. This new covenant or will that makes 
provision for the forgiveness of sin in Christ 
Jesus, was not set up, — did not go into eflfect,— 
till after His death. While a man lives he can 
dispose of his property as he pleases, but nothing 
that he does in this way can affect in any degree 
the distribution of his property under his will 
after his death. While he lives he may give one 
child a horse, another a piano, another a house; 
bat when he dies these acts are not precedents as 
to the distribution of his property under his will. 
Whoever gets property now must get it according 
to the terms of the will. 

Christ had power on earth to forgive sins, and 
He could do that on any condition or on no 
condition, as it might please Him in the exercise 
of His sovereign right. He could say to one, 
''Thy sins are forgiven," and to another, * 'Today 
shalt thou be with me in paradise." But what 
He said or did then has no bearing on the 
question of our inheritance under the will or 
covenant that came into force after His death. 
We are to consult the will and inherit, if at all, 
according to its terms and provisions. It is not 
for us to determine how we will be saved. That 



Christ's baptism. 19 

is a matter that rests exclusively in the authority 
of the Savior. It is our privilege to decide 
whether we will be saved or not, and if we 
conclude to be saved, we must apply to Jesus 
Christ to know how we are to be saved. The 
information thus sought is contained in the will 
or covenant that was sealed with His blood. 
The question is not, How did He save poeple 
while He was here with them in the flesh? But, 
How does He save people now ? The answer is 
contained in His will, ''He that believeth and is 
baptized shall be saved." This is positive, plain, 
and unambiguous, and ought to be satisfactory. 
He who is not willing to be saved on these terms 
is not in a condition to be saved at all. 

Does the clause in this will which says, ''But 
he that disbelieveth shall be condemned," in any 
way modify the statement that has just been 
under examination? It can have no modifying 
effect whatever on the conditions of salvation as 
expressed in the other clause. It is very well 

known that while the occurrence of an event mav 

t/ 

depend upon many conditions, the absence of one 
condition may and often does prevent the 
contemplated result. The production of corn 



20 Christ's baptism. 

depends upon seed, soil, rain, sunshine and 
cultivation; but the absence of a single one of 
these conditions will cause an utter failure. Let 
us apply one of the foregoing illustrations a little 
further: ''Everj^ one who sows and reaps shall 
have bread; but every one w^ho sows not shall go 
hungry." While two conditions are expressed 
as necessary to the procurement of bread, the 
expressed absence of but one condition results in 
hunger. The absence of the other condition is 
implied, for reaping depends on sowing. Precisely 
so of the question in hand: baptism depends upon 
belief, and of course one who does not believe 
will not be baptized. People are not supposed 
to be seeking how to be lost, but how to be saved; 
and those who are seeking the way of salvation, 
have to do with that part of the covenant which 
provides for salvation. 



CHAPTER III, 



THE QUESTION IN THE LIGHT OF APOSTOLIC 
TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 

Remission of sins was never preached in the 
name of Jesus Christ till after His resurrection 
and glorification, and this is in striking harmony 
with the fact that His final will concerning 
salvation did not go into effect till after His 
death. In proof of this statement the following 
words of the Master are cited: ''Thus it is written, 
that the Christ should suffer, and rise again the 
third day; and that repentance and remission of 
sins should be preached in his name unto all the 
nations, beginning from Jerusalem." — Luke 
24 : 48, 47. John and Jesus both preached 
remission of sins, but not in the name of Christ, 
nor did either of them begin from Jerusalem. 
TV hen the Lord made His wull He put it into the 
hands of the apostles and made them the executors 
thereof, instructing them to remain in Jerusalem 
until they should be endued with power from on 

21 



22 APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 

high. A prophet had foretold that ''out of Zion 
shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord 
from Jerusalem," and now the Lord instructs 
those who have His will in charge to remain in 
Jerusalem till they should be divinelj^ qualified 
to infallibly promulgate His law, and for the first 
time and far all time preach repentance and 
remission of sins in His name, beginning from 
Jerusalem. 

Finally the day of Pentecost came, and with it 
came the promised endnement of the apostles 
with power from on high, and they declared that 
the same Jesus whom the people with wicked 
hands crucified, had been made both Lord and 
Christ. The discourse carried conviction to many 
hearts and brought forth the query, "What must 
we do?" Of course this question had reference to 
the remission of the sins of which they who asked 
it had been convicted. The foil owing answ^er was 
given: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you 
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of 
your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the 
Holy Spirit." — Acts 2: 38. This is the answer 
to the most important and thrilling question that 
ever fell from human lips, and it embraces the 



APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 23 

first i)roclamation of repentance and remission of 
sins in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that 
was ever made in the world. The question is 
plain. Is the answer plain? The Holy Spirit was 
speaking for all time to come and to all the 
generations of men that were to be born. He was 
using words upon which the destiny of the world 
was to hang, — words involving human interests 
for time and eternity. If there has ever been a 
time in human history when an answer to a 
question of profoundest interest, should have 
been plain, unambiguous, and easy to be under- 
stood by people of ordinary intelligence, that 
Pentecost day was such a time. That answer 
was not to ride the waves of time for a little while 
and then go down into oblivion forever. It was 
to ring through the ages till the end of time, and 
thrill the hearts of men to the remotest genera- 
tion. It was not meant simply for the philosopher, 
the scientist, the man of letters; it was intended 
also for the artizan in his shop, the laborer on 
the street, the reaper in the field, the unlettered 
man in his hovel or wherever found. It was to 
go to men and women in all stations and 
conditions in life. Did the Spirit speak so as to 



24 APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 

be understood everywhere, through all time, and 
by all responsible people? Or did He use words 
that can only be understood by the learned few? 
Did He use words in their ordinary and most 
known signification? Or did He use them in some 
occult or cabalistic sense? thus leaving inquirers 
in doubt and perplexity. These questions readily 
suggest their own answers. 

The Holy Spirit meant to give a plain answ^er 
to this interesting question, and the words of the 
answer must be taken in their usual meaning; 
and when so taken they necessarily convey the 
idea that the people were told to repent and be 
baptized in the name of Christ, that they might 
receive the remission of their sins. This inspired 
interpretation of the will of Christ shows that 
repentance is implied in the clause, ''He that 
believeth and is baptized shall be saved." The 
covenant of Christ provides that a baptized 
penitent believer shall receive the remission of 
his sins. The gospel promises salvation, to such 
an one, and no man has any right to promise it 
to any one of a different class. Let us analyize 
this answer: ''Repent, and be baptized." Who? 
"Every one of you." In what name? "In the 



APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 25 

name of Jesus Christ." For what lourpose? 
''Unto the remission of your sins." What will 
follow this? '•And ye shall receive the gift of the 
Holy Spirit." Believers asked the question, and 
they were told to do two things, to do them in 
the name of Christ, and to do them unto the 
remission of their sins? The wayfaring man can 
understand this, for there is no uncertainty about 
it. It is as plain as language can make a thing. 
It will not do to say that the people w^ere told to 
repent and be baptized because their sins were 
already remitted, for the simple reason that it 
would be out of place and contrary to reason to 
tell pardoned people to rei3ent because they were 
pardoned! In addition to this the remission of 
sins furnishes no reason why any one should be 
baptized. A patient takes medicine because he 
is sick The sickness furnishes the reason for 
taking the medicine, and everybody can see it. 
A man eats because he is hungry. That hunger 
furnishes the reason for eating, is perfectly 
plain. But no one can see any reason for being 
baptized, in the fact that one's sins are remitted. 
The relation between repentance and baptism 
on the one side, and remission of sins on the 



26 APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 

other, is indicated by the Greek preposition eis, 
and it is eminently proper to examine the use of 
that little word in the New Testament. There is 
only space for a few illustrative passages. ' 'Drink 
ye all of it; for this is my blood of the covenant, 
which is shed for many unto {els) remission 
of sins."— Matt. 26:27, 28. The force of this 
example is plain. The idea that Christ shed His 
blood because of the remission of sins is out of 
the question. It is manifest that His blood was 
shed in order to the remission of sins. "Offer 
the gift that Moses commanded, for {eis) a 
testimony unto them." — Matt. 8:4. ''Till he 
send forth judgment unto {eis) victory." — Matt. 
12 : 20. "And this gospel of the kingdom shall 
be preached in the whole world for {eis) a 
testimony unto all nations."— Matthew 24:14. 
"And they gave them for {eis) the potter's 
field."— Matthew 27 : 10. "That also which this 
woman hath done shall be spoken of for {eis) a 
memorial of her."— Mark 14:9. "Behold, this 
child is set for {eis) the falling and rising up of 
many in Israel." — Luke 2 : 34. "Let down your 
nets for {eis) a draught."— Luke 5:4. "The 
same came for {eis) a witness." — John 1 : 7. 



APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 27 

"To {eis) this end was I born, and to {eis) this 
end am I come into the world, that I should bear 
witness unto the truth." — John 18: 37. ''Repent 
ye therefore, and turn again, that {eis) j^our sins 
may be blotted out." — Acts 3 : 19. ''And grant 
unto thy servants, that with all openness they 
may speak thy word, by thy stretching forth thine 
hand for (e/^) healing." — Acts 4:29, Davidson's 
Translation. ''And he promised to give it to 
him for {eis) a possession." — Acts 7:6, same 
translation. ''Th}- i3rayers and thine alms are 
come up for {eis) a memorial before God." — 
Acts 10: 4, same translation. "So then Grod has 
given repentance unto {eis) life to the Gentiles 
also." — Acts 11:18, same. "For to {eis) this 
end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a 
minister and a witness," etc. — Acts 26:16. 
"Through whom we received grace and apostle- 
ship, unto {els) obedience of faith among all the 
nations." — Rom. 1:5. "Wherefore also it was 
reckoned unto him for {eis) righteousness." — 
Rom. 4 : 22. "For with the heart man believeth 
unto {els) righteousness; and with the mouth 
confession is made unto (m) salvation." — Rom. 
10 : 10. "For he is a minister of God to thee for 



28 APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 

{eis) good." — Rom. 13:4. ''Which (wisdom) 
God foreordained before the worlds onto {eis) 
our glory." — 1 Cor. 2:7. ''Wherefore tongues 
are for {eis) a sign."— 1 Cor. 14:22. ''For to 
{eis^ this end also did I write." — 2 Cor. 2:9. 
''For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto {eis) 
salvation."— 2 Cor. 7:10. "Which (authority) 
the Lord gave for {eis) building you up, and not 
for {eis) casting you down." — 2 Cor. 10:8. 
''Even as Abraham believed God, and it was 
reckoned unto him for {eis) righteousness." — 
Galatians 3:6. "In whom ve also are builded 
together for {eis a habitation of God in the 
Spirit." — Eph. 2:22. "And he gave some to 
be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, 
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for 
the perfecting of the saints, unto {eis) the work 
of ministering, unto {eis) the building up of the 
body of Christ."— Eph. 4:11,12. "The things 
which happened unto me have fallen out rather 
unto {eis) the progress of the gospel." — Phil. 
1 : 12. "The one do it of love, knowing that I 
am set for {eis) the defence of the gospel." — 
Phil. 1 : 17. "And let the peace of Christ rule 
in your hearts, to {eis) the which also ye were 



APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 29 

called in one body. — Col. 8: 15. ''Whom I 
have sent unto you for (eis) this very purpose, 
that ye may know our estate." — Col. 4 : 8. ''To 
{els) the end he may establish your hearts 
unblamable in holiness before our God and 
Father."—! Thess. 3:13. "God chose you 
from the beginning unto (els) salvation in 
sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the 
truth." — 2 Thess. 2:13. "For an ensample of 
them v^^iich should hereafter believe on him unto 
(els) eternal life." — 1 Tim. 1:16. "From a 
babe thou hast known the sacred writings which 
are able to make the wise unto (eis) salvation*" — 
2 Tim. 3:15. "And let our people also learn 
to maintain good works for (eis) necessary 
uses." — Tit. 3:14. "And Moses indeed was 
faithful in all his house as a servant, for (eis) a 
testimony of those things which were afterward 
to be spoken." — Hebrews 3:5. "And in every 
dispute of theirs the oath is final for (eis) con- 
firmation."— Heb. 6: 16. "By faith Abraham, 
when he w^as called, obeyed to go out unto 
a place which he was to receive for (eis) an 
inheritance," — Hebrews 11:8. "And Abraham 
believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for 



30 APOSTOLIC TEACHIN^G AND PRACTICE. 

{eis) righteonsness." — James 2 : 28. ''Blessed be 
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
who according? to his great mercy begat us again 
unto {eis) a living hope by the resurrection of 
Jesus Christ from the dead unto {eis) an 
inheritance incorruptible. " — 1 Peter 1: 3, 4. 
''Who by the power of God are guarded 
through faith unto {eis) a salvation readj^ to be 
revealed in the last time." — 1 Peter 1 : 6. "That 
the proof of your faith, being more precious than 
gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, 
may be found unto {eis) praise and glory and 
honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.'^ — 1 Pet. 
1:7. "Seeing ye have purified your souls in 
your obedience to the rruth unto {eis) unfeigned 
love of the brethren, love one another from the 
heart fervently." — 1 Peter 1:22. "Be subject 
to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: 
whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto 
governors, as sent by him for {eis) vengeance on 
evildoers." — 1 Peter 2:14. "Ye husbands, in 
like manner, dwell with your wives according to 
knowledge, giving honour unto the woman, as 
unto the weaker vessel, as being also joint-heirs 
of the grace of life; to the end that {eis) your 



APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 31 

prayers be not hindered.'' — 1 Peter 3 : 7. ''Not 
rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; 
bat contrariwise blessing; for hereunto {eis toitto, 
in order to this) were ye called, that ye should 
inherit a blessing.''—! Peter 3 : 9. '*For he that 
hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 
that {eis in order that) ye no longer live the 
rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, 
but to the will of God."— 1 Peter 4:2. ''For 
unto this end (eis touto^ in order to this end) 
was the gospel preached even to the dead, that 
they might be judged according to men in the 
flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." — 
1 Peter 4 : 6. "And the God of all grace, who 
called you unto {eis) his eternal glory in 
Christ.''— 1 Peter 5: 10. "For if God spared 
not angels when they sinned, but cast them down 
to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, 
to be reserved unto {eis) judgment."— 2 Pet. 2 : 4. 
"But the heavens that now are, and the earth, 
by the same word have been stored up for 
fire, being reserved against {eis, unto) the day 
of judgment and destruction of ungodly men." 
—2 Pet. 3: 7. "But that all should come to 
{eis) repentance."— 2 Peter 3:9. "To this end 



32 APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 

{eis touto) was the Son of God manifested, that 
he might destroy the works of the devi}/' — 
1 John 3: 8. ''Looking for the merey of our 
Lord Jesus Christ unto {els') eternallife/' — Jude 
2L "And the shapes of the locusts were like 
unto horses prepared for iels) war." — Rev. 9 : 7. 
"And the leaves of the tree were for (^Z^) the 
healing of the nations." — Rev. 22 : 2. 

Readers need not be told what the meaning of 
the preposition is in the foregoing examples, for 
it can have but one signification and that floats 
on the surface, and he who runs may read it. 
These examples represent every book in the New 
Testament except Philemon and the second and 
third epistles of John, and these contain but one 
short chapter each. Examples are taken from 
John and Paul, so that every New Testament 
writer is represented. I have been particular, 
profuse, and comprehensive in these quotations, 
on account of the vital importance of the subject 
under consideration. Perhaps not a tithe of 
existing examples has been quoted, but those 
that have been cited are sufficient to show the 
import of the preposition eis in the Scrij^tures. 
Numerous examples have been taken from the 



APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 38 

writings of Peter because he is the man who 
said, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you 
in the name of Jesus Christ unto {eis) the 
remission of vour sins." It cannot be that this 
man who uniformly used this preposition to 
express the idea of reaching an end, used it 
just once to express a contrary thought. To so 
interpret him is arbitrary, and destructive of all 
reliability in exegesis. In Peter's second 
discourse he said, **Repent ye, therefore, and 
turn again, that your sins may be blotted out." 
The original of this last clause is eis 
exaleiphtheenai humoon tas hamartias^ the 
literal rendering of which is, in order to tfie 
blotting out of your sins. Here the force of the 
preposition comes out in a clear and strong 
light. It is not supposable that Peter told the 
people in his first sermon to repent and be 
baptized because {eis) their sins were remitted, 
and then in his next discourse told his hearers to 
repent and turn again in order to {eis) the 
blotting out of their sins. Nothing but strong 
theological bias would attribute such palpable 
inconsistency to an inspired man, and no one 
with the fear of scholarship before his eyes 
would think of doing so unscholarly a thing. 

5 



34 APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 

The induction given above, though imijerfect^ 
leads to the discovery of the following principle 
in the composition of the Greek Scriptures t 
When a writer desfred to express the idea that 
one or more things were done to bring about 
another thing^ he used a verb or verbs to 
indicate the thing or things to be done^ and a 
noun or nouns to express the end or ends in 
view, and connected the verbs and. nouns by 
means of the preposition eis. There were other 
ways of conveying the same thought, but this was 
a common method; and whenever they used this 
combination they thereby indicated a result to 
be attained. If it is ever otherwise the case is a 
rare excei3tion; but the opinion is here recorded 
that all apparent exceptions are not real 
exceptions. They come under the grammatical 
figure known as the constructio pregnans in 
the use of which thouglit is larger than 
expression, and words which are not expressed 
are to be understood. The meaning of the 
supplied words must always be in harmony with 
the subject under treatment, and with the telic 
force of the preposition. These two guides will 
clearly indicate the words that the ellipsis 



APOSTOLIC TEAOHIKG AND PRACTICE. 35 

demands. A few examples will make this plain: 
''And he said, Unto what then were ye baptized ? 
And they said, Unto {els) John's baptism." 
This answer is manifestly elleptical. Dr. Winer, 
who is THE authority, par excellence, in the 
idioms of the G-reek New^ Testament, says of this 
]3assage, ''Strictly the answer should have been, 
unto that unto which John baptized'^— {GrammRY 
of the idiom of the New Testament, 7th edition, 
page 397) "Now when I came to Troas for {eis) 
the gos]jel of Christ." Of this passage Winer 
says, "That is, in order to publish it." "For ye 
received not the spirit of bondage again unto 
(eis) fear." If the thought of this statement 
were fully rounded out in words it would be 
something like this: "For ye received not the 
spirit of bondage again in order to he brought 
tinder fear." This multum-in-parvo form of 
expression abounds in the Greek of the New 
Testament, and it will explain every case in 
which eis seems to take a backward look. The 
following passage, which is frequently used as 
proof that eis sometimes has the force of 
"because of," falls under the principle just 
elucidated: "For they repented at {eis) fhe 



36 APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 

preaching of Jonah." — Matt. 12:41. Winer 
classifies this statement under the following 
head: ''Used tropically, of ideal relations, it 
denotes any aim or end^ The X-)reposition retains 
its telic force in this place, and the constructio 
pregnans enables us to take it in that sense. 
With the ellipsis filled out the sentence stands 
about thus : "They repented in order to escape 
the calamity set forth in the preaching of 
Jonah." This is in harmony with the subject of 
Jonah's discourse as well as in accord with the 
true and strict meaning of the preposition. 
Christ was calling special attention to the 
influence of Jonah's preaching upon the people 
of Nineveh, and not to the purpose of their 
repentance; and hence His use of the short 
method of expression. The passage presents no 
exception to the general meaning of eis. 

If Peter had meant to tell the people to be 
bajjtized because of the remission of their sins 
he most probably would have used da instead 
of eis. The following passages will show^ this to 
be correct : '"And w^hen tribulation or persecu- 
tion ariseth because of {dia) the word." — Matt. 
13:21. And he saith unto them, Because of 



APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 87 

{dia) your little faith."— Matt. 17:20. 'Tor 
he knew that for {dia) envy they had delivered 
him up." — Matt. 27:18. And he spake to his 
disciples, that a little boat should wait on 
him because of (^dia) the crowd." — Mark 3:9. 
''And he marveled because of {dia) their 
unbelief. ' ' — Mark 6 : 6. And not finding by what 
way they might bring him in because of {dia) 
the multitude." — Luke ^ : 19. "Yet because of 
{dia) his importunity he will arise and give him 
as many as heneedeth." — Luke 11 : 8. "And he 
released him that for {dia) insurrection and 
murder had been cast into prison." — Luke 23 : 25. 
"But the friend of the bridegroom, which 
standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly 
because of {dia) the bridegroom's voice."— John 
3:29. ''And they said to the woman, Now w^e 
believe, not because of {dia) thy speaking," — 
John 4 : 42. "Howbeit no man spake openly of 
him for {dia) fear of the Jews." — John 7:13. 
"There arose a division again among the Jews 
because of {dia) these words." — John 10:19. 
"Because that by reason of {dia) him many of 
the Jews went away, and believed on him." — 
John 12: 11. "But because of {dia) the Pharisees 



38 APOSTOLIC TEACHINO AND PRACTICE^ 

they did not confess him." — John 12 : 42 ''And 
he took and circumcised him because of {dia) the 
Jews that were in those parts." — Acts 16:8. 
''And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, 
that he was borne of the soldiers for {dia) the 
violence of the crowd." — Acts 21:85. "For 
they kindled a lire and received us alk because 
of {dia) the present rain, and because of {dla) 
the cold." — Acts 28:2 "For {dm) this cause 
Grod gave them up to vile passions." — Rom. 

1 : 26. "I speak after the manner of men because 
of {dia) the infirmity of your flesh." — Rom. 
6:19. "And if Christ is in you, the body is 
dead because of {dla) sin." — Rom. 8:10. 
"Because of {dia) the grace that was given me 
of God." — Rom. 15:15. "I consider that this 
is good on account of {dia) the present 
necessitv." — 1 Cor. 7:26. ''For this cause 
{dia touto) many are weak and sickly among 
you." — 1 Cor. 11:80. So that the children 
of Israel could not look steadfastly uj)on the 
face of Moses tor (dia) the glory of his face." — 

2 Cor 8 : 7. For ye know the grace of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for 
your sakes {dia humas , 'because of you) he he- 



APOSTOLIC TEACHIjN^G AND PKACTICE. 39 

came poor." — 2 Cor. 8:9. ''While they themselves 
also, with supplication on your behalf, long after 
you by reason of {dia) the exceeding grace of God 
in you."— 2 Cor. 9:14. ''And that because of ((i/a) 
false brethren brought in," — Gal. 2:4. "But 
God, being rich in mercy, for {dia) his great love 
wherewith lie loved us."— Eph. 2:4. "Being 
darkened in their understanding, alienated from 
the life of God because of {dia) the ignorance 
that is in them, because of {dia) the hardening 
of their heart." — Eph. 4 : 18. "Because for {dia) 
the work of Christ he came nigh unto death." — 
Phil. 2 : 30. "Because of {dia) the hope which 
is laid up for you in the heavens." — Col. 1 : 5. 
"To speak the mystery of Christ, for {dia) 
which I am also in bonds."— Col. 4 : 3. "And 
for {dia) this cause we also thank God without 
ceasing." — 1 Thess. 2 : 13. ''And to esteem them 
exceeding highly in love for {dia) their work." 
— 1 Thess. 5:13. "And because of {dia) ihis 
God sendeth them a working of error." — 2 Thess. 
2 : 11. "Howbeit for {dia) this cause I obtained 
mercy."— 1 Tim. 1 : 16. "Drink no longer water, 
but use a little wine on account of {dia) thy 
stomach and thy frequent infirmities." — 1 Tim. 



40 APOSTOLIC TEACHIJSra AND PRACTICE. 

5:23. ''On account of {dia) this cause I put 
thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of 
Grod."— 2 Tim. 1 : 6. '^Therefore I endure all 
things on account of {dia) the elect " — 2 Tim. 
2 : 10. ''On account of {dia) which reprove them 
sharply."— Tit. 1:13. '^Wherefor, though I 
have all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that 
which is befitting, yet on account of {dia) love I 
rather beseech." — Phile. 1 : 8. ''And we see that 
they were not able to enter in because of {dia) 
unbelief." — Heb. 3:19. "And on account of 
{dia) this he is the mediator of a new covenant." 
— Heb. 9:15. "Ye have not, because of {dia) 
your not asking.'* — Jas. 4:2. "Be subject to 
every ordinance of man because of {dia) the 
Lord."— 1 Pet 2 : 13. "For thisjs>cceptable, if 
for {dia) conscience toward God a man endureth 
grief."— 1 Pet. 2:19. "But and :if^;ye should 
suffer because of {dia) righteousness, blessed are 
ye."— 1 Pet. 3:14. "And many shall follow 
their lacivious doings, because of {dia) whom 
the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." — 
2 Pet. 2:2. "I write unto you, little children, 
because your sins are forgiven you on account 
of {dia) his name."— 1 Jn. 2:2. "On account 



APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 41 

of {dia) the truth which abideth in us." — 2 Jn. 2. 

"On account of (dia) this, if I come, I will 
bring to remembrance his works." — 3 Jn. 10, 

^'And I saw^ the souls of them that had been 
beheaded for (dia) the testimonj^ of Jesus, and 
for (dia) the word of God." — Rev. 20:4. 

Here are examples from every book in the New 
Testament except Jude which has but one chapter, 
and they suggest the following principle as to 
the construction of the Greek language of the 
New Testament: Wke^i a writer wished to say 
that one thing loas done because another thing 
already existed^ he used a verb to indicate the 
act that loas performed, and a noun in the 
accusative case to represent that on account of 
which the act was performed, and connected the 
tioo by means of the preposition dia. This rule 
is as general as the one concerning eis, and the 
two principles show that the two prepositions 
occupy entirely different spheres. They look in 
opposite directions and are not interchangable. 
One looks back to a fact already accomplished, 
and because of whose existence the act of the verb 
is performed; while the other looks forward to a 
fact that is yet to come into existence, and is to 

6 



42 APOSTOLIC TEACHING AND PRACTICE. 

transpire as a result of the act of the verb. The 
examples of the use of both of the prepositions 
as employed by Peter3 show that he understood 
both of the principles that have been enunciated, 
and that he strictly observed them in his writ- 
ings. He may not have been a classical Greek 
scholar, but he understood the principles of the 
language, and knew how to use it so as to be 
understood. He never uses eis to convey the dia 
idea, nor dia to express the eis conception. In 
comjjosition he never crosses the lines that have 
been indicated, and if he did, confusion would be 
the result; and whoever crosses them in interpre- 
tation, produces confusion. This matter has been 
dealt with extensively because of its importance 
in fixing the meaning of eis in Acts 2 : 38, 



CHAPTER IV. 



Paul's case. 

One of the striking, beautiful, and consistent 
features of the apostles and other divinelj^ 
guided men in the apostolic age, is seen in the 
fact that they began with people just as thej^ 
found them, in propounding the conditions of 
pardon and salvation. If those whom they 
addressed were unbelievers they began with 
belief, as in the case of the jailor who was told to 
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. If those to 
whom they spoke were believers, they began with 
repentance, as in the case of the first converts in 
Jerusalem. If the seeker was a penitent believer, 
they began with baptism, as in the case of Saul 
of Tarsus. When Paul told the jailor to believe, 
he at once proceeded to preach to him the word 
of the Lord that he might believe, for faith comes 
by hearing the word of God ; and when he 
believed he was immediately baptized. This 
shows that Paul preached the word of the Lord 

43 



44 Paul's case. 

as contained in the Commission. When believers 
wanted to know what to do, Peter told them 
to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus 
Christ unto the remission of their sins. Paul as 
a penitent believer was told to arise and be bap- 
tized, and wash away his sins. Inspired men did 
not tell believers to believe, nor did they tell 
penitents to repent ; but they saw that the will 
of the Lord was complied with all along the line, 
and did not make the imx^ression on the mind of 
any hearer that remission of sins was obtainable 
short of obedience to all the requirements of the 
covenant of Christ* 

The language addressed to Saul is full of force 
and meaning. He was a believer in the fullest 
sense of the term, and it would be difficult to 
measure his repentance with words. And yet he 
was instructed that there still remained some- 
thing for him to do to get clear of his sins. 
Neither he nor Ananias had any idea that his 
sins were forgiven when he was told to be bap- 
tized and wash them away, and the words of 
Ananias are utterly meaningless on the hypo- 
thesis that he was already pardoned. There is 
not a hint nor the suggestion of a hint that his 



Paul's case. 45 

sins were forgiven when this language was 
addressed to him. On the contrary the natural 
and necessary inference is that they were not 
—that he was pardoned in any Scriptural sense 
before he was baptized is an idea for which the 
word of God is not responsible. It is the product 
of a theory which is in direct conflict with plain 
and unequivocal declarations of Scriptures, and 
is harmful, only harmful, and that continually. 
The language employed, the conduct of PauL 
and his subsequent teachings, show conclusively 
that his sins were not forgiven before 
he was baptized, but that they were pardoned 
in his baptism. It is not at all surprising 
that he repeatedly uses the word ''wash" in a 
spiritual sense, because it is the term that assured 
him that he was cleansed from his sins when 
he was baptized. He did not understand that 
the water took awav his sins, but that in the act 
of obedience which he rendered Christ in bap- 
tism, he was pardoned. "And such were some 
of you : but ye were washed, but ye were sancti- 
fied, but ye were justified," etc.— 1 Cor. 6:11. 
The verb here rendered "were washed" is in the 
middle voice and may be rendered "washed your- 



46 Paul's case. 

selves." It is a plain reference to baptism, and 
no doubt was suggested to Paul by the fact that 
he was to wash away his sins in baptism. ''Hus- 
bands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved 
the church, and gave himself up for it ; that he 
might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the 
washing of water with the word," etc. — Eph. 
5:25, 26. Here is another obvious allusion to 
baptism as that in which the members of the 
church were cleansed from their sins. ''Not by 
works done in righteousness, which we did our- 
selves, but according to his mercy he saved us, 
through the washing of regeneration," etc. — 
Titus 3: 5. This passage will be examined in 
another place. It is cited here simply that it 
may be included among the passages in which 
Paul clings to the word that was employed in his 
own case in connection with the forgiveness of 
his sins, it is no marvel that the term fastened 
itself on his mind in connection with salvation, 
so that the two things went together in his 
thought. He knew that he had been saved 
through the washing of baptism, and that others 
were saved just as he had been saved. 

''And now why tarriest thou? arise and he 



Paul's case. 47 

baptized^ and loasli aioay thy sins, calling on 
Ms name.'' ^ Such is the language addressed to 
Paul as a penitent believer, and it excludes the 
idea that he was at that time a pardoned man. 
The natural and obvious import of the passage is 
that when these words were addressed to him he 
was unpardoned, but w^ould be pardoned in obedi- 
ence to the divine command. Such plain langii" 
age as this must not be bent to suit the demands 
of a theory, and in this connection it is proper to 
]3ay attention to some simple and generally 
recognized principles of interpretation. ''The 
words of a law are generally to be understood in 
their usual and most known signification, not so 
much regarding the propriety of grammar, as 
their general and popular use."— Blackstone. 
*'The terms of every written document are to be 
understood in their plain, ordinary and popular 
use." — Grreenleaf. "It is better to understand 
phrases according to their obvious import, even 
though we should be compelled to leave the proof 
of their fitness to more fortunate inquiry. When 
once we begin to withhold from words their ordi- 
nary and natural signification, we must not 
comjjlain if infidels charge our religion with 



48 Paul's case. 

mj^sticism, or its expositors with fraud." — Bishop 
Middleton. '* Words and phrases must not be 
taken in some reckondite sense which men of 
learning and ingenuity, in support of an hypoth- 
esis, may devise; but in the ordinary sense of the 
words, wherein the persons addressed, whether by 
preaching or writing, would be likely to under- 
stand them.'' — Dr. Bloomfleld. If the language 
spoken to Paul by Ananias is to be interpreted by 
these common sense rules, there can be no doubt 
as to its meaning. Its obvious meaning is that 
Paul's sins were not forgiven before his baptism, 
but that he had the promise of forgiveness in 
baptism. In other words, he was forgiven on the 
terms of the Commission which says, ''He that 
believeth and is baptized shall be saved." 



CHAPTER F. 



THE eunuch's case. 



The historj" of this case is found in the eighth 
chapter of Acts, and it is very interesting and 
instructive. This officer was riding along the 
public highway reading a portion of the prophe- 
cies of Isaiah which he did not know how to apply . 
Philip, an evangelist, fell in with him and 
"preached to him Jesus," taking for his text the 
passage which the eunuch was reading. As they 
rode along, Philip unfolded to his attentive and 
interested hearer the gospel of the Son of God, 
laying before him the terms of pardon and the 
offers of salvation which are contained in the New 
Covenant. '^As they went on their way, they 
came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith^ 
Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be 
baptized?" What suggested to him the idea that 
he might or ought to be baptized? It is simply 
said that Philip preached to him Jesus, and from 
that preaching he learned something about 



49 



50 THE EUNITCH's cask. 

baptism, and what he learned seemed to be of 
great interest to him; for the first water that 
came in sight caused him to demand baptism, 
Philip preached to him Jesus under the Commis- 
sion, and faithfully told him what the Lord 
commands all those who preach Him, to tell their 
hearers, namely, *'He that believeth and is 
baptized shall be saved." It is no marvel that 
this announcement should have produced in the 
mind of the eunuch the intensest interest in 
baptism. He wanted to be saved, and he learned 
that baptism was one of the conditions upon 
which the Lord promises salvation to people. 

Commenting on this case Isaac Taylor Hinton, 
A. M., at one time pastor of the First Baptist 
Church, New Orleans, says: ''We find that 
preaching Jesus includes preaching baptism. 
Nothing more is said, than that Philip 'preached 
to him Jesus ;' and yet, the first stream or pool 
of water that the eunuch can discern, he is per= 
fectly acquainted with the highest of all purposes 
for which streams flow or pools accumulate, and 
exclaims with delight, 'See, here is water, what 
hindereth me to be baptized?' Clearly the whole 
counsel of God has not been preached, however 



THE eunuch's case. 51 

fervently repentance and faith may have been 
urged, if the sinner is left uninformed of his 
immediate duty as soon as he does truly believe; 
and it is time that the primitive practice of 
preaching baptism, as constantly and as simply 
as repentance and faith, was revived amongst all 
who know the truth. Our brethren are less culp- 
able in their erior than ourselves, if we neglect 
this duty. I know that many will cry out — 
'sectarian spirit !' All that I have to reply is, 
Brethren, there are my instructions, here is my 
model. Both are divine; whether it be better to 
obey or please God or men, judge ye." — History 
of Baptism, page 94. These words of soberness 
were evidently written in the love of the truth, 
and they are worth their weight in gold. This is 
a clear explanation of how the eunuch came to a 
knowledge of his duty to be baptized. Philip 
was as true to the Commission on this occasion, 
as Peter was on Pentecost, and as Ananias was 
when he found Paul in Damascus. 

This case clearly shows where the joy which 
springs up in the human heart from a knowledge 
of the forgiveness of sins, begins. It is said that 
after his baptism the eunuch ''went on his way 



52 THE EUISTUCH^S CASE. 

rejoicing." Speaking by the Holy Spirit Zach- 
arias s^id that John should go ''before the face 
of the Lord to make ready his ways; to give 
knowledge of salvation unto his peoyjle in the 
remission of their sins." — Luke 1 : 78, 77. John 
preached ''the baptism of repentance unto remis- 
sion of sins," and thus he gave to those who 
obeyed God under his ministry, "knowledge of 
salvation." The same principle was perpetuated 
and made permanent in Christian baptism, as is 
seen in the Commission; and when the eunuch 
obeyed Christ who was preached to him, he knew 
by the word of God that his sins were pardoned, 
and that he was saved. This gave rise to the joy 
that he expressed or felt as he continued his 
journey. Thus we see the gospel at work, and 
learn how it accomplishes its great and gracious 
purposes in saving men, and filling their hearts 
with a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. 
Those who obey God in the appointments of the 
gospel stand upon the promises of the Lord Jesu8 
Christ and may rejoice evermore. 



CHAPTER VI. 



pall's teaching in eomans and GALATIAKS. 

''We who died to sin, how shall we any longer 
live therein ? Or are you ignorant that all we 
who were baptised into Christ Jesus were bap- 
tized into his death ? We were buried therefore 
with him through baptism into death. '^ — Rom. 
6 : 2-4. These sentences are full of force and 
meaning, and they clothe baptism with great 
importance and value. They show that baptism 
brings the subject into Christ in whom "we have 
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of 
our trespasses, according to the riches of his 
grace." They plainly indicate how sinners come 
into a saving relation to the death of Christ. 
"Others have labored, and ye are entered into 
their labor" is an expression which throws light 
on the passage now under consideration. "Ye 
are entered into the benefits of their labor" is 
obviously the idea, for it is only thus that one 
can enter into the labor of another. When the 



54 Paul's teaching. 

apostle says that people were baptized into the 
death of Christ, the idea manifestly is that thej^ 
were baptized into the 'benefits of His death. 
Now, remission of sins is one of the benefits of 
the death of Christ, and inasmuch as baptism is 
for the remission of sins, we see how it is that 
people are baptized into His death. When the 
Israelites were baptized in the cloud and in the 
sea they were baptized into Moses. This means 
that through their baptism they came into posses- 
sion and enjoyment of the deliverance to which 
Moses led them. Their baptism took them out 
of an old world and put them into a new one, and 
became the dividing line between bondage and 
freedom. Thus they escaped bondage and 
entered into the benefits of the leadership and 
mediatorship of Moses. He became the author 
of salvation to all them that obeyed him when he 
commanded them "to go forward," and thej^ 
were not saved till they went forward through 
baptism into the salvation which was beyond. 

In like manner Christ by His death became the 
author of eternal salvation to all them that obey 
Him, and when believing pentinents are baptized 
they enter into Him as their leader, escape the 



Paul's teaching. ^5 

old world of bondage to sin, become beneficiaries 
of His leadership and mediatorship, and enter 
into the benefits of His death by receiving the 
remission of their past sins. Hence it comes to 
pass that if ''any 'man is in Christ, he is a new 
creature: the old things are passed away; behold, 
they are become new." This view finds strong 
confirmation in the following language found 
further along in the same chapter; ''But thanks 
be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, 
ye became obedient from the heart to that form 
of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; and 
being made free from sin, ye became servants of 
righteousness." This is evidently a backward 
glance at what the writer said in the preceeding 
part of the chapter about being baptized into 
Christ and into His death. By being delivered 
into that type {tupoii) of teaching believers are 
made free from sin, just as the Israelites w^ere 
made free from Egyptian bondage when they 
passed through their baptism. This passage sets 
forth the idea of baptism unto remission of sins, 
in a very clear and strong light. 

''But before faitli came, we were kept in ward 
under the law, shut up unto the faith lohich 



56 Paul's teaching. 

should afterwards he revealed. So that the law 
is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that 
we might be justified, by faith. But noio that 
faith is come, toe are no longer under a tutor. 
For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in 
Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were 
baptized into Christ did put on Christ^ — Gal. 
3:S3'S7. This is substantially the same teach- 
ing as that contained in the passage just exam- 
ined, though it is put somewhat differently. It 
should be observed that the apostle uses the term 
''faith" here as a synonym for gos^^el. When he 
speaks of people being kept m ward under the 
law '^before faith came," he does not mean that 
there was no faith under the law. The letter to 
the Hebrews tells of many wondeiful w^orks that 
the ancients did bv faith. And vet that was 
before ''faith came" in the sense in which Paul 
here uses the term. The full expression is ''t/ie 
faith,'^ and that means the gospel plan of salva- 
tion, which is a system of faith from beginning to 
end. It is a system of justification "out of faith 
into faith." Everything connected with that 
system belongs to "the faith," and hence one who 
is justified by that system is "justified by faith." 



PAULS' TEACHINO 57 

This brings the idea of justification by faith, 
which the Scriptures clearlj^ teach, into perfect 
harmony with the doctrine that baptism is ''unto 
remission of sins," which the New Testament 
abundantly declares. Baptism belongs to '*the 
faith," and when a x>enitent believer receives 
remission of sins and is saved through baptism, 
he is saved by faith; and thus it is seen that there 
is no conflict between the tw^o. 

All this appears in a clear light in the passage 
now under examination. ''For ye are all sons of 
God, through the faith, in Christ Jesus." This 
is the rendering of the Revised Version, with the 
exception that I have preserved and translated 
the article which occurs in the original and should 
not be omitted. Notice the punctuation. It 
does not say that "we are all sons of God by 
faith in Christ Jesus," but "we are all sons of 
God, through (the) faith, in Christ Jesus." A 
little transposition will make it plainer: "We 
are all sons of God in Christ Jesus, through the 
faith." Our sonship is in Christ Jesus, and is 
brought about through the faith, or the gospel. 
This is explained as follows: "For as many of 
you as were baptized into Christ did put on 

8 



58 PAULAS TEACHING. 

Christ/' That is, they became sons of God in 
Christ Jesus, when they were baptized into Christ 
and thus put him on. Nothing could be plainer, 
or more beautiful in simplicity. Strength is 
added to this position by the Greek particle gar 
which corresponds to ''for" in the translation. 
This particle introduces an explanation of, or a 
reason for, something previously stated. Having 
stated the fact that people are sons of God, 
through the faith, in Christ Jesus, the writer 
proceeds to explain how that is, and, according 
to the Greek method of thought and expression, 
he uses the particle just named. Prof. Thayer, 
in his Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testa- 
ment, sets forth the use and force of this particle 
as follows: "Now since by a new affirmation not 
infrequently the reason and nature of something 
previously mentioned are set forth, it comes to 
pass that, by the use of this jjarticle, either the 
reason and cause of a foregoing statement is 
added, whence arises the casual or argumentative 
force of the particle, /or (Lat. nam, enim\ Germ. 
denii); or some previous declaration is exj)lained, 
whence gar takes on an explicative force. ... It 
adduces the Cause or gives the Reason of a 



Paul's teaching. 59 

preceeding statement or o} anion." This is a 
vei\y clear and forceful statement of the principle 
that underlies the use of this particle. In his 
New Testament Grammar Winer says: ''In 
consequence of its original signification gar 
serves — passing over what is familiar— first of all 
and very naturally (a) to introduce explanatory 
clauses," etc. These two distinguished scholars 
fairly represent the consensus of scholarly opinion 
as to the office of gar. It introduces expla- 
nations and reasons of preceeding statements. 

The following instances of the use of the term 
illustrate the principle set forth by the two 
authors just quoted: ''And gathering together 
all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he 
inquired of them where the Christ should be 
born. And thev said unto him, In Bethlehem of 
Judaea. For {gar) thus it is written through the 
prophet," etc. — Matt. 2 : 4, 5. The priests and 
scribes make a statement as to the place of the 
Savior's birth, and introduce their reason for it 
by using gar. '*No man can serve two masters: 
for {gar) either he will hate the one, and love the 
other," etc. Here the Master makes a statement, 
and introduces His reason for it with gar. "And 



60 Paul's teaching 

they were astonished at his teaching: for igar^ 
he taught them as one having authority." — Mark 
1 : 22. Here is the same principle. '^But every 
woman praying or prophesying with her head 
unveiled dishonoreth her head; for {gar) it is one 
and the same thing as if she were shaven." — 
1 Cor. 11:5. Examples almost without number 
might be cited to the same effect, but these are 
sufficient to show the force and function of the 
particle under consideration. Applying this 
principle to Paul's language that is now before 
us, we find this state of case: Paul states a fact, 
namely, that we are sons of God in Christ, 
through the faith, and then gives his reason for 
his statement, as is shown by his use of gar. 
''For {gar) as many of you as were baptized into 
Christ did put on Christ." This is his reason 
for, and explanation of, his statement that "ye 
are all sons of God, through the faith, in Christ 
Jesus," According to the ordinance of God, 
believers, when they are baptized into Christ and 
thus put Him on, become children of God; and 
Paul gives this as the basis of his affirmation that 
the Galatians were children of God. This con- 
clusion seems to be inevitable. 



PAUL'S TEACHING. 61 

Paul's reasoning on this point is in harmony 
with, and perhaps grows out of the following 
passage: ''Except one be born of water and the 
Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." 
— John 3:5. We become children of God by 
being born again, and we see from these words of 
the Master, that being born again consists of 
being born of water and the Spirit. By almost 
universal consent among scholars and critics of 
the first order, to be born of water is to be bap- 
tized. To argue this point at this late day, would 
scarcely be justifiable, and I shall simply cite the 
following statement from Dr. Wall's History of 
Infant Baptism: ''There is not any one Christian 
writer of any antiquity in any language but what 
understands it of baptism. And if it be not so 
understood, it is diflScult to give an account how 
a person is born of water, any more than born of 
wood."^'Vol. 1, p. 92. This is strong language, 
but it has never been shown to be incorrect; and 
what is here said of ancient writers is almost 
equally true of modern authors. There is 
scarcely a discordant note in what the best recent 
scholarship says on this point. If it be borne in 
mind that "born of water and the Spirit" is 



62 Paul's teaching. 

explanatory of the statement, "Except one be 
born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of Grod," 
the necessity of taking the words in their literal 
and most known signification, at once becomes 
obvious. If in explaining a statement the 
Teacher used words whose meaning He leaves as 
obscure as the meaning of the original statement, 
He gives an explanation that fails to explain, and 
leaves the people as much in the dark as they 
were before. In this explanation ''water" must 
mean water, and Spirit must mean Spirit^ and no 
interpreter is warranted in putting upon these 
terms meanings that do not inhere in them. If 
they were not used in explaining something else, 
there possibly might be some ground for putting* 
upon them strange and mystical meanings; but 
their explicative character forbids that in this 
case. Water means loater! 

Now^, if we can discover what relation; if any, 
water sustains, by divine appointment, to the 
kingdom of God, we will know exactly and posi- 
tively what it is to be born of w^ater. It will not 
be claimed that water sustains any relation to 
the kingdom of God, except that which is found 
in baptism, which is a divine ordinance. In 



Paul's teaching. 63 

that, and only in that, does water touch the 
kingdom of God; and this necessitates the 
conclusion that to be born of water is to be 
baptized. As to the other part of the process we 
have this categorical declaration: "Whosoever 
believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of 
God." — 1. Jno. 5 : 1. This shows that to be born 
(begotten) of the spirit is to believe that ''Jesus 
is the Christ." We now have strong ground" for 
the conclusion that to be born of water and tlie 
Spirit is to believe that Jesus is the Christ, and 
be baptized into Him. How perfectly and beau- 
tifully^ this fits into the commission, — "He that 
believeth and is baptized shall be saved." It is 
now easy to see how natural it was for Paul to 
declare that those believers w^ho had been 
baptized in Christ, thus putting Him on, were 
"sons of God, through the faith, in Christ 
Jesus." Such are born of God, are in Christ as 
new creatures, are in the kingdom of God, and 
are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. 



CHAPTER VII. 



TITUS 3:5 AND 1 PETER 3:21. 

''But wJien the kindness of God our Savior, 
and Ms love toioard men, appeared, not by 
works done in righteousness, lohich we did^ 
ourselves, hut according to Ms mercy he saved^ 
us, through the xoashing of regeneration and 
renewing of the Holy Spirit^ ivMch he poured 
out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our 
Savior; that, being justified by his grace, we 
might be made heirs according to the hope of 
eternal life,'" — Titus 3 : 1^-7, 

This is a brief but clear statement of the plan 
of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. It 
is i)resented both negatively and positively. Paul 
first declares that we are not saved ''by works 
done in righteousness, which w^e did ourselves." 
This seems to be a plain allusion to works of the 
law which the Jews performed wdth the idea that 
they thereby merited salvation. Macknight 
paraphrases this as follows: ''Not on account of 

9 65 



66 TITUS 3 : 5 and 1 peter 3 : 21. 

any works of righteousness which we had don^ 
under the law to merit such a deliverance." O^ 
this point Paul says: * 'Because by the works c)f 
tlie law shall no flesh be justified in his sight. "-- 
Rom. 3:20. ''Yet knowing that a man is no^ 
justified by the works of the law.'- — Gal. 2 : 1^- 
These passages show that when Paul says that 
we are not saved by our own works, his reference 
is to works of the Jewish law; which wer^ 
regarded by the Jews as w^orks of merit. NP 
doubt this principle applies to all works of merit 
by whomsoever done. We are not saved on that 
basis. But we are saved ''according to hi.® 
mercy," and thus salvation through Christ i^ 
taken out of the circle of meritorious works, anci 
placed in that of the unmerited mercy of God- 
It is of the utmost importance that this distinc- 
tion be carefully noted, as it will make som^^ 
things clear that might otherwise appear obscure,' 
God's merciful plan of salvation is presented ir^ 
the gospel of Christ, and whatever belongs to the' 
gospel scheme is not included among ' 'works done^ 
in righteousness," by which we are not saved. 

Our passage next states that God saves u^ 
according to his mercy "through the washing of 



TITUS 3 : 5 AND 1 PETEK 3 : 21. 67 

regeneration and renewing of the Holj^ Spirit." 
Thus salvation according to the mercy of God is 
explained to be salvation ''through the washing 
of regeneration and renewing of the Holj^ Spirit." 
We must now ascertain, if we can, the meaning 
of ''the washing of regeneration," for it is some- 
thing through which we are saved "according to 
His mercy." Expositors of the Scriptures are 
quite generally agreed that the reference is to 
Christian baptism. The Pulpit Commentary, 
edited by H. D. M. Spence and Joseph S. Exell 
with Exposition and Homiletics by Prof. P. J. 
Gloag; Meyer's Commentary; Macknight on the 
Epistles; Alford's IS'ew Testament for English 
Readers; Wesley's Notes: Barnes' Notes; 
Clarke's Commentary; Wall on Infant Baptism; 
Gale's Reflections; Carson on Baptism; BengePs 
Gnomen, Olshausen's Commentary; Smith's 
Bible Dictionary; Neander's Planting and 
Training; Stuart on Baptism; Bloomfield's Greek 
Testament, are some of the w^orks that understand 
our passage as referring to baptism. Perhaps no 
writer of the first four hundred years of the 
Christian era understood it otherwise. So far 
as human authoritj^ can settle a question of inter- 



68 TITUS 8:5 and 1 peter 3:21. 

pretation, it is settled that Titus 3 : 5 refers to 
baptism. This shows that baptism is not 
regarded as among the works spoken of in the 
passage. Faith, repentance, and baptism, are 
things that we do, but they are not considered 
works in Paul's sense of the term. They belong 
to the gospel plan of salvation according to the 
mercy of God. 

Having reached the conclusion that "the 
washing of regeneration" means baptism, we 
must next inquire into the import of the 
"renewing of the Holy Spirit." Unquestionably 
it contemplates a change of heart and mind in 
man, accomplished by the Spirit of God. It is 
the same thing as being begotten of God, 
and is affected by the Spirit through the truth: 
"Having been begotten again, not of corruptable 
seed, but of incorruptable, through the word of 
God, which liveth and abideth." — 1 Peter 1:23 
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is 
begotten of God." — 1 Jno. 5:1. "So belief 
Cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of 
Christ." — Rom. 10:17. Whoever believes that 
Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God, or has the 
, 'renewing of the Spirit." The final conclusion 



TITUS 3 : 5 AND 1 PETER 3 :21. 69 

on this point is that to be saved "through the 
washing of regeneration and renewing of the 
Holy Spirit,'' is to be saved through faith and 
baptism; and thus we are borne back to the 
Commission, — ''He that believeth and is baptized 
shall be saved." How beautifully and consist- 
ently the Scriptures explain and illustrate them- 
selves! Paul presents the conclusion of the 
whole matter thus: ''That, being justified by 
his grace, w^e might be made heirs according to 
the hope of eternal life." To be saved "through 
the washing of regeneration and renewing of the 
Holy Spirit," — through faith and baptism, — is to 
be saved "by his grace," and not of works. By 
this process one is constituted an heir, or a child 
of God; and this admirably fits into Gal. 3 : 26, 27, 
"For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in 
Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were bap- 
tized into Christ did put on Christ." 

"/tz which {Spirit) he loeiit and preached 
unto the spirits in prison^ that aforetime loere 
disobedient^ when the long suffering of God 
loaited in the days of Noah^ lohile the arTc was 
a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls 
were saved through loater; which also after a 



70 TITUS 3:5 and 1 peter 3:21. 

true likeness doth noio save you, even baptism, 
not the putting away of the filth of the ilesh, 
hut the interrogation of a good conscience 
toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus 
Christy— 1 Peter 3: 19-21. 

It is here positively declared that water ''doth 
now save you," and that, in this respect, it is a 
true ' 'likeness" of the w^ater through which Noah 
and his family w^ere saved. The word here 
rendered ''likeness is antitupon, and Davidson, 
with perfect propriety, translates it ''antitype." 
The water that "now saves you," is an antitype 
to the water that saved the Noahites. This 
antitype is explained to be baptism, and hence 
the statement turns out to be that baptism ''doth 
now save you." No interpretation that contra- 
dicts this plain declaration, can be correct. After 
all explanations it must remain true that "bap- 
tism doth now save you." This imi)arts to 
baptism a significance and importance that it 
would be difficult to overvalue. The apostle 
utters a word of caution by w^ay of guarding his 
readers against the danger of undervaluing it: it 
is "not the putting away of the filth of thefiesh." 
It is not a mere outward ordinance such as might 



TITUS 3:5 AND 1 PETER 3:21. 71 

simpl}^ result in cleansing the body. It has a 
much deeper meaning than that. It is ''the 
interrogation of a good conscience toward God.'' 
Instead of pertaining to the flesh, it is a divine 
appointment that deals with the conscience. It 
is a spiritual institution, moving on a spiritual 
plane, and accomplishing spiritual results. As 
the water of the flood saved Noah from the 
destruction of the old world, so the water of 
baptism, according to the ordinance of Christ 
translates us out of the kingdom of darkness into 
the kingdom of God. Thus we escape the 
condemnation of the former, and come to the 
enjoyment of the salvation of the latter. 

Let it be observed that baptism saves because 
it is the interrogation (inquiry) of a good consci- 
ence toward (after) God. A good conscience 
precedes salvation, and leads men to seek God 
that they may be saved. Paul, according to his 
own asseveration, was living ''in all good consci- 
ence before God'' when he was persecuting and 
wasting the church of Christ; and yet he of 
course was not saved. A good conscience is one 
that is reconciled to God and desires to do His 
will, and no man is fit to be pardoned till he is 



72 TITUS 3:5 AND 1 PETER 3:21. 

in that condition. A person incarcerated in the 
penitentiary for theft, might repent and become 
an honest man while in prison. In such an event 
he would have a good conscience, and might be 
pardoned and given his liberty without danger to 
the community. He might then seek and obtain 
pardon, provided he sought it according to the 
laws of the government. Through faitli and 
repentance a sinner attains a good conscience, 
becomes reconciled to (lod, and may seek and 
find pardon, provided he seeks it according to 
the law of God. Such a conscience inquires after 
a pardoning God in baptism, because He has 
promised pardon through baptism. And so 
bajjtism saves because it brings the subject to 
where God has promised to meet him and forgive 
his sins. It is only thus that anything that a 
man does can be said to save him. Faith is not a 
savior, and it has no j)ower in itself to save any 
one. The same is true of repentance and baptism. 
Christ is the only Savior, and those things can 
only be said to save in view of the fact that, by 
divine appointment, they bring sinners to Jesus 
w^ho has authority and power to save. From 
this point of view it becomes manifest that 



TITUS 8:5 AND 1 PETER 3:21. 73 

baptism can be said to save, with as much 
propriety as it can be said that faith or repent- 
ance saves. 

This passage furnishes a fine illustration of the 
principle of putting a single item of a process for 
the whole. This principle is employed with 
frequency in the Scriptures, and in every-day 
speech. With propriety it may be said, and 
often is said, that the last rain made the corn 
crop. No one understands the idea to be that 
the last rain, by itself, made the crop. But 
inasmuch as that rain was an important factor in 
the transaction the result of the entire process is 
attributed to it. ''Being therefore justified by 
faith" is a statement of the same kind. Faith is 
an essential item in the process of justification, 
and it is put for the whole. ''Then to the 
Gentiles also hath God granted repentance unto 
life" is another case in point. Here repentance, 
a part of the process that leads to life, is put for 
the entire process. The same principle obtains in 
the passage that we are studying. Baptism is a 
part, and the consummating part, of the Christian 
plan of salvation, and it is put for the whole 
process; and there is nothing in it repugnant to 



74 TITUS 3:5 and 1 peter 3:21. 

reason or Scripture. It might be said of Naaman 
that his seventh dip healed his leprosy, just as it 
might be said that the twentieth stroke with a 
sledgehammer broke the rock. No one would 
understand from such language that the previous 
six dips had nothing to do with the healing of 
the leper, nor that the previous nineteen strokes 
had nothing to do with the breaking of the rock. 
The recognition of this obvious principle gives 
material aid to the student of the Bible. When 
it is said that salvation is by grace, it does not 
exclude faith, repentance and baptism. When it 
is said that justification is bj/ faith, it does not 
exclude grace, faith and baptism. When it is 
declared that repentance is unto life, grace, faith 
and baptism are not excluded. When it is 
alleged that ''baptism does now save you," grace, 
faith and repentance are not excluded. 

It has been said that a good conscience inquires 
after Grod in baptism, because He has promised to 
be thus found. The i)assages that have already 
been quoted abundantly sustain this proposition. 
•'He that believeth and is baptized shall be 
saved;" "Repent, and be baptized every one of 
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission 



TITUS 3 : 5 AND 1 PETER 3 : 21. 75 

of sins;" ''x\rise, and be bai3tized, and wash 
awa}^ thy sins;" ''According to his mercj^ he 
saved us, through the washing of regeneration 
and renewing of the Holy Spirit;" ''All we who 
were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized 
into his death;" "Except one be born of water 
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the 
kingdom of God." In view of these jjlain 
declarations of the word of God, the man who 
has a good conscience, is reconciled to God, and 
desires to do His will, naturally inquires after 
Him in baptism, assured that he will thus find 
Him in the forgiveness of his sins, be received 
into His kingdom and constituted a child and 
heir of God. Thus we can plainly see how it is 
that, according to the gracious provisions of the 
gospel, "baptism doth now save you," 



CHAPTER YIIL 



SOME OBJECTIONS COIS^SIDERED. 

Mr. Rice, in his debate with Mr. Campbell, 
endeavored to offset all the latter' s positive 
arguments with the passages that predicate 
justification, eternal life, etc., of the believer. 
Here are passages, he said, that contradict Mr. 
Campbell's interpretation of the passages upon 
which he relies for support, and therefore his 
interpretations are wrong. This specious but 
fallacious way of meeting an argument, has been 
faithfully followed by controversalists who 
oppose the doctrine of baptism for the remission 
of sins, from the time of Mr. Rice to the present 
day. It is strange that it should escape the 
notice of any thinker, that this is a two-edged 
sword, and cuts as much coming as going. With 
equal force and reason may it be said that the 
passages which are used in support of said 
doctrine, contradict the interpretations which 

77 



78 SOME OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 

Mr. Rice and his followers put upon the faith 
passages, and therefore such interpretations are 
erroneous ! This is simply a game of ''hide and 
go seek," and is not calculated to advance the 
truth. 

"He that believeth on the Son hath eternal 
life;" ''He that believeth on him is not judged." 
"That whosoever believeth may in liim have 
eternal life;" "That whosoever believeth on him 
should not perish, but have eternal life." These 
are the passages, with some others just like them, 
that are relied upon to disprove the claim that 
baptism is for the remission of sins, and it is 
proper to study them carefully. The passages 
quoted are all from the third chapter of John^ 
and they should not be so interpreted as to put 
them out of harmony with the fifth verse of that 
chapter. Every one who has read the New 
Testament with care, must know that it recog- 
nizes two classes of believers — the obedient and 
disobedient. ''Nevertheless even of the rulers 
many believed on him; but because of the Phari- 
sees thej^ did not confess it, lest they should be 
put out of the synagogue: for they loved the 
glory that is of men more than the glory that is 



SOME OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 79 

of God." — Jno. 12 : 42. Of these rulers it is said 
that they believed on Christ, and perhaps a stronger 
form of expressing that idea could not have been 
used. They believed into (6?/^) him. Now, accord- 
ing to Mr. Rice's argument, they had eternal life, 
and were not judged or condemned, "Now when 
he was in Jerusalen at the passover, during the 
feast, many believed on his name, beholding his 
signs which he did. But Jesus did not trust 
himself unto them, for that he knew all men." — 
Jno. 2 : 23, 24. Of these people it is said that 
they believed on {eis) his name, and according to 
the faith-alone theory, they were pardoned, 
justified, and possessed of eternal life. But the 
Master had no confidence in them, and would not 
trust himself to them; and this shows that they 
were not children of God. Both of these passages 
bring to view believers who had not accepted 
Christ, and hence the claim that all believers are 
saved is not sustained by the Scriptures. 

This makes it clear that when justification is 
predicated of the believer, something more than 
mere belief is contemplated. In other words it is 
the obedient believer who is alluded to. This is 
made manifest bv a sentence that is antithetical 



80 SOME OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 

to one of the statements quoted above. ''He that 
believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that 
oheyetli not the Son, shall not see life." — 
Jno. 3 : 36. It is perfectly plain from this that 
the believer who has eternal life, is the believer 
who obeys the Son. The word here rendered 
"obeyed'' occurs in the following passages: ''For 
before these days rose up Theudas, giving himself 
out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, 
about four hundred, joined themselves: who was' 
slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were 
disjjersed, and came to nought.'' — Acts 5:36. 
"After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the 
days of the enrollment, and drew away some of 
the people after him: he also perished; and all, as 
many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad." — 
Acts 5:37. "But unto them that are factious, 
and obey 7iot the truth, but obey unrighteousness, 
shall be w^rath and indignation." — Rom. 2:8. 
"Who hindered you that ye should not obey the 
truth." — Gal. 5:7. ''Obey t\iem that have the 
rule over you."^ — Heb. 13 : 17. This word carries 
with it the idea of submission to somebody's will, 
and when it is combined with a negative particle, 
as is the case in some of the passages just cited. 



6o:me objections considehed. 81 

it conveys the notion of refusing to comply with 
somebody's will. Now this word is nsed in such 
connection with the term ''believe" as shows that 
the latter includes obedience whenever it is 
affirmed in the Scriptures that the believer is 
justified. 

This same principle is visible from another point 
of view. ''But they did not all hearken to the 
glad tidings (the gospel). For Isaiah saith, Lord, 
who haili believed our report ?"^Rom. 10:16, 
The word here rendered "hearken'' is equivalent 
to the term "obey." It occurs twenty-one times, 
and is rendered "obey" twenty times in the 
King's Version, and nineteen times in the 
Revised Version. The special signification of the 
word is that of objective obedience, as the follow- 
ing cases clearly indicate: ''And the men 
marveled, saying. What manner of man is this, 
that even the winds and the sea obey \i\mV^ — 
Matt. 8 : 27. "And the Lord said, if ye had faith 
as a grain of mustard seed, ye would say unto 
this sycamine tree. Be thou rooted up, and be 
thou planted in the sea; and it would obey you." 
— Luke 17: 6. "Let not sin therefore reign in 
your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts 



82 SOME OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 

thereof." — Rom. 6:12. ^'Children, ohey your 
parents in the Lord: for this is right." — Eph. 6 : 1. 
''Servants, he obedient unto them that according 
to the flesh are your masters." — Eph. 6 : 6. ''And 
if any man oheytli not our word by this epistle, 
note that man."— 2 Thess. 8:14. "By faith 
Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out 
unto a place which he was to receive for an inher- 
itance." — Heb. 11 : 8. This induction is sufficient 
to show that "believe" as employed in the passage 
cited in the beginning of this paragraph, 
includes the objective obedience which the gospel 
requires. This is called obedience to the faith in 
the following passage: "And the word of God 
increased; and the number of thf^ disciples multi- 
plied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great 
company of the priests %oere obedient to the 
faith." — Acts 6 : 7. This argument receives addi- 
tional strength from the following passages: 
"Though he was a Son, yet learned he obedience 
by the things which he suffered; and having been 
made perfect, he became unto all them that obey 
him the author of eternal salvation."— Heb. 5 : 8, 9. 
"If so be that it is a righteous thing with God to 
recompense affliction to them that afflict you, and 



SOME OBeTECTIONS CONSIDERED. 83 

to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the reve- 
lation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the 
angels of his power in flaming fire, rendering 
vengeance to them that know not God, and to 
them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus.' ' 
— 2 Thess. 1 : 6-8. These plain declarations leave 
no room to doubt but that the faith that justifies, 
includes objective obedience to the gospel of the 
Son of God. He became the author of eternal 
salvation — He gives eternal salvation — to all them 
that obey Him, the word that always means 
objective obedience being the word used; and He 
will take vengeance upon all them that obey not 
the gospel in this sense. It is not here claimed 
that the word for "obey" means only objective 
obedience; it is simply contended that it always 
includes this idea. It is thought proper to make 
this point especially clear and strong because Mr. 
Rice and his disciples contend that only faith is 
meant when salvation is attributed to obedience. 
The foregoing passages show this to be a palpable 
fallacy. 

There is yet one more angle of vision from 
which this subject may be viewed, and it is 
presented in the following passage: ''He came 



84 SOME OBJECTIOKS CONSIDEREIT. 

unto his own, and they that were his owm receivecl 
him not. Bet as many as received him, to them 
gave he the right to become children of God 5. 
even to them that believe on his name." — 
Jno. 1 :11, 12. Here the exact function of faith 
in the matter of becoming children of God, is 
presented. It does not make people children of 
God, but gives them the right to become such. 
A man cannot become w^hat he already is. A 
white man cannot become white, nor can a black 
man become black. He that believes on the name 
of Christ has the right to become a child of God, 
and of course he is not a child of God already. 
This is an axiomatic truth that cannot be made 
stronger than the mere statement of it. In legal 
phraseology faith is ''the enabling act" which 
enables one to become what he could not be 
before. When some capitalists wish to build a 
railroad through a state they procure a charter 
from the state legislature for that purpose. 
The charter does not build the road, but it confers 
upon the men the legal right to construct it. 
Whether the road is built or not depends upon 
them. They may build it and enjoy its benefits, 
or neglect to build it and have no road. Precisely 



SOME OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 85 

SO as regards faith. It is the believer's charter 
under which he may become a child of God, but 
whether or not he becomes snch depends upon 
himself. He may become a child of God accord- 
ing to the provisions of the gospel and enjoy all 
the blessings growing out of that blessed relation, 
or he may neglect it and remain a stranger to the 
covenant of promise. When the men build the 
railroad according to the provisions of the charter 
it may be said that they have the road by the 
charter, simply because that instrument gave 
them the right to build it. When a believer 
becomes a child of God according to the terms of 
the H^ew Covenant, it may be said that he is a 
child of God by faith, simply because faith 
enabled him to become such. This is in strict 
accord with a passage already examined, which 
says, ''For ye are all sons of God, through faith, 
in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were 
baptized into Christ did put on Christ." Thus 
it is plainly seen that there is perfect harmony 
between the faith passages and the obedience 
passages, and that baptism for the remission of 
sins is in beautiful accord with justification by 
faith. 



CHAPTER IX. 



PAUL AND JUSTIFICATIOlSr BY FAITH. 

The claim is made that Paul's teaching in the 
fourth chapter of Romans excludes the idea that 
baptism is for the remission of sins, and it is 
proper to examine this allegation in this connec- 
tion. It is expedient to remark that the letter to 
the Romans is to be studied as a whole, and not 
as if it were made up of proverbs thrown together 
without reference to logical connection. The 
writer's thesis is set forth in the sixteenth verse 
of the first chapter, and is as follows: ''For I am 
not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the powder of 
God unto salvation to every one that believeth; 
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." The 
argumentative part of the epistle, which is the 
major portion of it, is conducted with reference 
to the establishment of this proposition, and to 
show the superiority of the gospel to the law, as 
a system of justification. The gospel, with every- 
thing thereunto pertaining, is contrasted with the 

87 



88 PAUL AND JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 

law and its ordinances. The argament is directed 
against those who contended tliat the Gentiles 
must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses 
in order to be saved. The cajjital mistake made 
by those who think that the apostle's reasoning 
militates against the idea of baptism for the 
remission of sins, lies in taking an ordinance of 
the gosj)el and classing it with the command- 
ments of the law. When this fallacy is ajjpre- 
hended all difficulty is eliminated from the case 
as to the design of baptism. The whole gospel 
is a system of faith, while the law is a: system of 
works; and whatever belongs to the gospel is of 
faith, while the belongings of the law are of works. 
Paul shows that circumcision is not necessary 
to justification, by proving that Abraham, the 
father of the faithful and the friend of God, was 
justified before circumcision was instituted, and 
therefore without it. The point is that as God 
had an arrangement in the olden time, by which 
He could justify men without circumcision, so he 
now has an arrangement by which He can do the 
same thing; and this arrangement is the gospel. 
Circumcision belonged to the old covenant that 
passed away to give place to the new. The old 



PAUL AXD .rrSTIFICATlOX BY FAITH. 89 

covenant was the law: the new covenant is the 
gospel. While the old covenant was in force its 
institutions were binding, and its children could 
not be justified without them. Of circumcision 
it is said: 'Mud the uncircumcised male who is 
not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that 
soul shall be cut oft' from his people; he hath 
broken my covenant.''— Gen. 17:14. Paul's 
argument does not disparage any commandment 
of God while it is in force, much less an ordin- 
ance of the gospel. Let the following language 
be carefully considered in this connection: ''Is 
this blessing then pronounced upon the circum- 
cision (only), or upon the uncircumcision also ? 
(Upon the uncircumcision also), for w^e say, To 
Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteous- 
ness. How then was it reckoned? when he was 
in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in 
circumcision, but in uncircumcision: and he 
received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the 
righteousness of the faith which he had while he 
was in uncircumcision: that he might be the 
father of all them that believe, though they be in 
uncircumcision, that righteousness might be 
reckoned unto them; and the father of circum- 

12 



90 PAUL AND JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 

cision to them who not only are of the circum- 
cision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith 
of our father Abraham which he had in uncir- 
cumcision." — Rom. 4:9-12. 

Of the foregoing Scripture this is the sum: 
Abraham's faith was counted to him for righte- 
ousness while he was in uncircumcision, that it 
might be manifest that circumcision is not neces- 
sary to righteousness, that when circumcision is 
not in force all believers might be justified on 
such terms as God might see fit to ordain, without 
regard to circumcision, and that this righteous- 
ness comes upon all those who walk in the steps 
of Abraham's faith. This last statement is one 
of great importance and significance. Walking 
in the steps of faith means a great deal more than 
any subjective state or condition. It embraces 
the idea of walking in the existing ordinances 
and commandments of the Lord. Faith and the 
obedience of faith underlie justification in every 
dispensation of revealed religion. The letter to 
the Hebrews puts the case tersely, as follows: 
''By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed 
to go out unto a place which he was to receive 
for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing 



PAUL AND JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH 91 

whither he went." Thus we see that Abraham's 
faith was a walking faith and took steps in the 
way that God pointed out to him. This was a 
good while before Abraham believed God and it 
was counted to him for righteousness. Abraham 
was called and accepted of God before He drew 
his attention to the stars and assured him that 
his posterity should outnumber them. Prior to 
this event God said to him, "Feai not, Abram: I 
am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." 
—Gen. 15: 1. They do greatly err wlio suppose 
that Abraham's lirst justification came when the 
event in connection with the stars occurred. He 
was justified when, in obedience to the command- 
ment of God, he left Ur of the Chaldees, he was 
justified when he believed what God told him 
about his posterity, and he was justified when he 
offered up Isaac. Each justification depended 
upon his doing what he was required to do at 
that particular time. All that he was required 
to do w^hen his faith was counted to him for 
righteousness, was to believe what God said to 
him; and as this was when he was in uucircum- 
cision, Paul uses it to show that God may justify 
believers without circumcision. 



92 PAUL AISTD JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 

But to take an argument that was simply 
intended to show that justification does not 
depend upon circumcision, and so use it as to 
make it displace an ordinance of the gospel of 
Jesus Christ, is to greatly abuse the great 
apostle's reasoning. Circumcision, wdien Paul 
wrote, was a dead institution belonging to a dead 
covenant, and reasoning designed to show that it 
has no place in a living plan of justification, has 
no bearing upon any ordinance of the new and 
living covenant. After saying that the gospel is 
God's power for salvation, Paul, as a consistant 
reasoner, could not say that a prominent institu- 
tion of the gospel has nothing to do with salva- 
tion, and such inconsistency should not be laid 
at his door in the interest of a theory. Not only 
does the apf)lication of Paul's argument to bap- 
tism do violence to the general scojje and trend 
of the epistle, bat it conflicts with several specific 
statements of the same. ''But thanks be to God, 
that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became 
obedient from the heart to that form of teaching 
whereunto ye were delivered; and being made 
free from sin, ye became servants of righteous- 
ness." — Rom. 6: 17. This is a plain allusion to 



PAUL AIN^D JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 93 

the following language used in the beginning of 
the chapter: ''Or are ye ignorant that all we who 
were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized 
into his death ? We were buried therefore with 
him through baptism into death. '^ When Ave 
were delivered into this form of teaching, we 
were made free from sin, — were pardoned, 
justified, saved. Dr. Macknight paraphrases the 
seventeenth verse thus: ''I thank God, that 
although formerly ye were the slaves of sin, ye 
have willingly obeyed the mould of doctrine into 
which ye were cast at your baptism." The 
Pulpit Commentary says: ''He refers them back 
to the time of their baptism, when he conceives 
them to have understood their obligation 
(cf. ver. 3), and also to have been heartily 
sincere." 

The man who plainly teaches that we are made 
free from sin when we in faith obey the Lord in 
baptism, does not and cannot teach that we are 
justified before and without baptism. The man 
who categorically declares that God saves us 
through the washing of regeneration (baptism) 
and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, does not 
and cannot teach that believers are justified 



94 PAUL AND JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 

without the obedience of faith. The man to 
whom it w^as said, Arise, and be baptized, and 
wash away thy sins, calling on his name, does 
not and cannot teach that sins are washed away 
before and without baptism. The man who says 
that vengeance is to be rendered to them that 
know not God, and to them that obey not the 
gospel of our Lord Jesus, does not and cannot say 
that we are justified and saved bj^ faith alone, 
without the obedience of the gospel. The man 
who was especially called to be an apostle of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, does not teach a doctrine that 
puts him in direct conflict with Him who said, 
' 'He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. ' ' 
Uninspired men presume to promise people 
salvation before and without baptism, but no 
inspired man was ever so presumptuous. These 
uninspired men mi^ht very well take up and 
repent the prayer of the psalmist who said: 
''Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous 
sins; let them not have dominion over me: then 
shall I be perfect, and I shall be clear from the 
great transgression.'' 



PART II 



CHAPTER 7. 



CEITICAL OPINION ON SPECIAL PASSAGES. 

''And he said unto them. Go ye into all the 
world, and preach the gospel to the lohole crea- 
tion. He that ielieveth and is baptized shall he 
saved; hnt he that dishelieveth shall he 
condemnedy—MarJc 16 : 15, 16, 

''By comparing this with the commission 
given the apostles, Matt. 28 : 20, and Luke 
24 : 47, it is plain that not owlj faith, but repent- 
ance and ohedience were to be preached in the 
name of Christ, the sense being, that he who by 
true and lively faith embraces Christianity, and 
engages, in baptism, to obey its injunctions, and 
faithfully fulfill his engagements, shall obtain 
everlasting salvation." — Bloomfleld. 

"He that credits this gospel as a revelation 
from God; and is haptized — takes upon him the 
profession of it, obliging himself to walk accord- 

95 



96 CRITICAL OPINION" ON" SPECIAL PASSAGES. 

ing to its precepts, he shall he saved. — redeemed 
from sin here, and brought at last to the enjoy- 
ment of my eternal glory."— Chirke. 

*'By joining 'believing' and 'being baptized,' 
as both necessary to salvation, did the Lord 
mean to put on an equality the highest action of 
the soul in embracing the truth of God and of 
Christ and the reception of an outward rite I 
Certainly not. For he did not consider that the 
baptism which he ordained was an outward rite. 
It is, according to His own words, a new birth of 
water and the Spirit into His kingdom. Accord- 
ing to the preaching of St. Paul, it is a death 
and burial with Him to sin, and a rising again 
wirli Him to newness of life (Rom. 6 : 1-4,) so 
that the baptized man must, no matter what the 
difRcultj^ count himself to be in a new state, 
born anew into the Second Adam, grafted into 
the True Vine, endued with a new life from 
Christ, and gifted, if he will faithfully strive to 
use them, with new powers against sin and on 
the side of holiness of life. It was the Lord's 
intention, by His death and resurrection, not only 
to deliver men from sin as individuals, but to 
incorporate them into His mystical body, i. e. 



CRITICAL OPINION ON SPECIAL PASSAGES. 97 

His Holy Catholic Clntrch, so that in the unity 
of that Church, in the unity of its faith, Us 
hope, its charity, they might grow ujp, not singly, 
hut together, in the felloio ship of the One Body. 
And so the reception of His baptism being the 
outward' sign of this, and the means of bringing 
it to each one, loas worthy to be put side by side 
loith believing.^' — The preacher' s Homiletic 
Commentary. 

* 'These words are very important. The first 
clause opposes the motion that faith alone is 
sufficient for salvation, without those works 
which are the fruit of faith. He that believeth 
and is baptized, shall be saved', that is, he that 
believeth, and as an evidence of his faith accepts 
Christ's baptism, and fulfills the promises and 
vows which he then took upon himself, working 
out his own salvation with fear and trembling, 
shall be saved." — The Pulpit Commentary. 

"A great alternative is propounded. There is 
no middle course supposed. Belief and baptism 
are the condition of salvation; disbelief insures 
condemnation. We may well admire the wisdom 
and the condescending compassion which deter- 
mines such a condition as faith as the condition 

13 



98 CRITICAL OPINION ON SPECIAL PASSAGES. 

upon which the highest spiritual blessings may 
be enjoyed." — Ibid. 

''If Christ Himself which giveth salvation do 
require baptism (Mark 16 : 16), it is not for us 
that look for salvation to sound and examine him, 
whether unbaptized men may be saved, but 
seriously to do that which is required, and religi- 
ously to fear the danger which may grow by 
want thereof." — John Calvin, quoted in Schaflf's 
Creeds of Christendom, Vol. 1, p. 643. 

''And to such indeed (believers) we readily 
grant baptism is to be administered, in order to 
their salvation, according to the terms of the 
Gospel." — Dr. Gale, in Wall on Infant Baptism, 
Vol. 2, p. 261. 



CHAPTER II. 



BORIN^ OF WATER BAPTISM. 

' 'Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto 
thee, Except one be horn of loater and tlie Spirit, 
lie cannot enter into the kingdom of God.'' ^ — 
John 3 : 5. 

"Now the expression deuteron genneetheenai 
was one commonly used by the Jews to denote 
the total change of religion, from heathenism to 
the worship of the one true God; but it was also 
applied to the entire change of heart and parifi- 
cation of mind typified by the ceremony of 
haptism. That the term hudatos must be under- 
stood of baptism, is quite plain from Titus 3 : 5, 
and other passages." — Bloomfield. 

''Except he experience that great inward 
change by the spirit, and be baptized, (wherever 
baptism can be had), as the outward sign and 
means of it.'' — Wesley's Notes. 

''V>Y loater here is evidently signified baptism.^'' 
— Barnes' Notes. 

L.ofC. ^^ 



100 BORN OF WATER BAPTISM. 

''There can be no doubt, on any honest inter- 
pretation of the word, that to he horn of water 
refers to the token or outward sign of baptism, — 
to he horn of the Spirit to the thing signified, or 
inward grace of the Holy Spirit. All attempts 
to get rid of these two plain facts have sprung 
from doctrinal jjrejudices, by which the views of 
expositors have been warped." — Dean Alford. 

''There is not any one christian writer of any 
antiquity in any language but what understands 
it (born of water) of baptism. And if it be not 
so understood, it is difficult to give an account 
how a person is born of water, any more than 
born of wood." — Wall on Infant Baptism, Vol. 
1, p. 92. 



CHAPTER III, 



REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM FOR REMISSION 

OF SINS. 

'^''And Peter said i/nto them. Repeat ye, and 
be baptized every one of you in the name of 
Jesns Christ unto the remission of your sins; 
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy 
Spirit:'— Acts 2: 38. 

''What a definite and complete answer and 
promise of salvation ! ^ ^ ^ Eis denotes the 
object of the baptism, which is the remission of 
the guilt contracted in the state before repent- 
ance." — Meyer's Commentary. 

"This aphesis hamartioon (remission of sins) 
is unquestionably connected more intimately and 
directly than the gift of the Holy Ghost with the 
baptismal act; the former, (aphesis) namely, is 
indicated by the word eis for the remission, etc., 
as the immediate purpose of baptism, and as the 
promise inseparably connected with it, while 

lOI 



102 FOR REMISSION OF SINS. 

general terms are all that now succeed." — 
Lange's Commentary. 

'^Eis apliesin hamartioon, to obtain the 
forgiveness of sins, Acts 2:38." — Thayer's 
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. 

''For in short, let the Socinians and others say 
what they please, the Scriptures assure us, bap- 
tism was instituted by Christ, and was, and 
ought to be, administered, /or the forgiveness of 
sins; and therefore men ought to be very careful 
how they neglect that ordinance." — Dr. Gale, in 
Wall on Infant Baptism, Vol. 2, p. 245. 

^'Eis apJiesin hamartioon, in order to the 
forgiveness of sins (Matt. 26 : 28, Luke 3 : 3), w^e 
connect naturally with both the preceding verbs. 
This clause states the motive or object which 
should induce them to repent and be baptized. 
It enforces the entire exhortation, not one part of 
it to the exclusion of the others." — Hackett on 
Acts. 

''My knowledge of Greek is very imperfect, 
and no great value should be attached to my 
opinion on a question of Greek criticism. But it 
seems to me the word eis, in the passage referred 
to (Acts 2: 38), relates to the entire previous sent- 



FOR REMISSION OF SINS. 108 

ence. 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you, 
in the name of Jesiis Christ' — eAs — iinto, or m 
order to^ or loith reference to — the remission of 
sins, etc. That is, the repentance and baptism 
both have reference to the remission of sins; or 
the entire process, so to speak, in the divine 
arrangement for the remission of sins, embraces 
this, or this is the co7nplete.d process appointed 
by God in connection loitJi the pardon of sin. 
Whether a man can be saved without baptism is 
a question not connected with the exegesis of the 
passage; but the design of Peter, as I understand 
it, is to state what is the complete divine arrange- 
ment in order to the forgiveness of sins. — Comp. 
Mark 16 : 16." — Albert Barnes in a letter to the 
Author, dated August 18, 1870. 

''In Acts 2: 38, we find repentance, baptism in 
faith, (leading iiito tfie remission of sins. 'In 
the name of Jesus Christ' can only vae^m faith in 
Him; and so it is understood by all the best 
commentators. Eis aphesin, etc., belongs with 
the two verbs preceding. We have them, repent- 
ance, baptism in faith, the remission of sins, 
the gift of the Holy Spirit; all in regular 
sequence." — Prof. J. R. Boise, Ph. D., L.L. D., 



104 FOR REMISSION OF SI^^S. 

of the Baptist Union Theological Seminary, in a 
letter to the author dated May 8, 1884. 

In 1876 Robert T. Mathews, then professor of 
Greek in Eminence College, Eminence, Ky., 
addressed the following query to the professors 
of Greek in a number of the Universities and 
Colleges of this country: '*Will you be so kind 
as to give me your translation of the preposition 
eis in Acts 2:38, and your opinion, as a Greek 
scholar, as to what grammatical relation it 
expresses between the predicates of the verse and 
the phrase, apheslri hamartloon? I shall he 
obliged for your answer in the light of scholar- 
ship^ aside from all theological ajjpUcations of 
the Derse.^'' He received and published the 
following replies: 

"Yours of the 9th inst. is just received. I 
shall translate Acts 2 : 38, literally thus: Repent 
and let every one of you be baptized in {or on) 
the name of Jesus Chrit unto remission of sins. 
The preposition eis seems to denote the object 
and end of the two verbs which preceed in the 
imi3erative. In other words, the remission of 
sins is the object and end (or result) of repent- 
ance and baptism. The meaning may, perhaps, 



FOR REMISSION OF SINS. 1()5 

be more definitely and unequivocallj^ expressed 
thus: Repent and let every one of you be bap- 
tized to the end that your sins may be forgiven. 
The passage does not imply that repentance and 
baptism stand in the same moral, religions, 
essential or formal relation to foro^iveness anv 
more than believing and being baptized stand in 
the same relation to being saved in Mark 16:16, 
or being born of water and the spirit, stand in 
the same relation to entering into the Kingdom 
of God, in John 3 : 5. The result is fully realized 
in each of these cases onl j^ when both the outward 
and the inward conditions are fulfilled. But that 
the outward condition is less essential, is clearly 
indicated by its omission in the negative and 
condemnatory part of Mark 16:16, 'He that 
believeth not shall be damned.' I do not know 
that I have met the precise point and object of 
your inquiries. I have only touched the points 
of chief interest and importance as they present 
themselves to my own mind." — Prof. Tyler, of 
Amherst College, Mass. 

"Your letter of inquiry as to the meaning of eis 
in Acts 2 : 38, was handed to me this morning. I 
do not suppose it possible to determine from 

■4 



106 FOR REMISSION OF SINS. 

classical or patristic usage a necessary meaning 
for such a word which can be applied in any neW' 
case. It is so frequent a w^ord, has so many 
various meanings, and expressing only relation, 
depends so entirely on the context for its determ- 
ination, that each case mast be decided mainly 
by itself. Here, it seems to be connected with 
both verbs. With Baptizo alone it has a special 
New Testament use, as to the meaning of which 
scholars are somewhat divided. My own impres- 
sion (to give it for what it is worth) is that I 
should translate it, if these words occured in 
Plato, for instance, to the end of remission of sins. 
It would then make aphesin Jiamartioon. an 
object aimed at, or a result attained by the acts 
denoted by the verbs. Bat this leads one, neces- 
sarily, into the domain of theology. I am sorry 
I cannot give you a more definite answer." — 
Prof. Packard, of Yale University, Conn. 

'*The preposition eis, in Acts 2 : 38, is evidently 
used in its final sense, and the phrase is clearly 
connected with metanoeesate kai baptistheti 
(repent and be baptized) as the end to which 
repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus, led. 
The conviction of sin in the crucifixion of Jesus, 



FOR REMISSION OF SINS. 107 

who was both Lord and Christ, led the multitude 
to enquire of the apostles, 'What shall we do?' 
'Do/ for what purpose? Evidently, 'for the 
remission of sins,' as shown in the answer of the 
apostle. They thought only of the sin against 
Christ, which, since his advent, as the essence of 
sin ('of sin because they believe not on me'); but 
the apostle makes the matter more general — 
^remission of sins.' The term aphesls (remis- 
sion), except in the quotation from Isaiah 
(Luke 4 : 18), has but one signification in the 
New Testament. This, then, was the object 
contemplated, both in the question and the 
answer, and to which els points. Trusting that 
this hasty note, which does not enter into the 
question of baptism, or of its relation to salva- 
tion, or even of the meaning of the expression, 
€2^1 too onomati ('in the name') is a sufficient 
answer to your question, I remain, j^ours truly." 
— Prof. N. C. Cameron, of Princeton College, 
New Jersey. 

"Without a special examination of the passage 
in connection with others in which like expres- 
sions occur, I should saj^ that the word here has 
the force of 'unto,' 'in order to,' 'for the sake of,' 



108 FOR REMISSION OF SINS. 

indicating a result to be attained, and that it 
connects the phrase aphesin liamartioon with 
both the foregoing imperative verbs, alike gram- 
matically considered, though on other grounds, I 
shall say, specially with the first, since pardon is 
no where offered on condition of baptism alone, 
while it is on that of repentance. This is, briefly, 
my response to your inquiry, as I understand 
it. — Prof. Foster, of Colby University, Maine. 

''In answer to your inquiry about the force of 
the preposition, eis, in the passage of the JNew 
Testament, to which you refer (Acts 2 : 38), I 
should say that it denoted intention or j)urpose, 
*with a view to,' much as if it had been written, 
*so as to obtain remission of sins.' I speak, 
however, wholly from the standpoint of classic 
Greek, not being familiar with the changes intro- 
duced by the Hellenistic. As to any theological 
bearings that the subject may have, I am wholly 
indifferent." — Prof. Flag, of Cornell University, 
New York. 

''In my opinion, eis, in Acts 2 : 38, denotes 

purpose, and may be rendered 'in order to,' or 

'for the purpose of receiving,' or, as our English 

version, 'for.' 'Eis aphesin hamartioon^ 



FOK KE]MISSION OF SINS. 109 

suggests the motive or object contemplated in the 
action of the two preceding verbs." — Prof. Hark- 
ness, of Brown University, R. I. 

"It is my opinion that eis is to be connected 
with both predicates, and that it denotes an 
object or end in view. I am inclined to think 
that the phrase, 'in the name of Christ,' though 
grammatically limiting only baptistheeti, does, 
in thought, modify the connection of eis, the 
ideas standing, logically, in the following order, 
viz : Having been shown your ill behavior 
against the Messiah, put faith in (the name of) 
Christ; on the basis of that faith, repent and 
(confess), be baptized, and then be forgiven: — 
eis, connecting apliesis, not with the tw^o predi- 
cates, separately, but with the whole preceding 
part of the sentence. I have first and last, given 
a good deal of attention to this point, but cannot 
speak more confidently than 1 have done. If you 
enjoy this study as I do, I congratulate you most 
cordially. I establish few doctrines, as such, but 
the Divine Word is, more and more, a susten- 
ance and solace.'' — Prof. Proctor, of Dartmouth 
College, New York. 

"In reply to your inquiry, I would say that, in 



110 FOR REMISSION OF SINS. 

my judgment, the preposition, eis, in the verse 
referred to, expresses the relation of aim or end 
in view, answering the question, eis ti (for what?) 
and to be translated by 'unto,' 'in order to,' 'for.' 
This sense of eis, as you doubtless know, is 
recognized by Lindell and Scott for classical, by 
Winer, for New Testament usage. I cannot 
agree with those who ascribe to eis nearly the 
same force as in the phrase, 'baptize into the 
name,' but understand it then to be used in the 
sense of 'in reference to,' 'in relation to.' " — 
Prof. D'Ooge, of Ann Harbor University, Mich. 
"It is our business simply and honestly to 
ascertain the exact meaning of the inspired origi- 
nals, as the sacred penman intended to convey 
it to the mind of the contemporary reader. 
Away with the question, 'What ouqM Peter to 
have said in the interest of orthodox v?' . . . As to 
Campbellism, that specter which haunts many 
good men and terrifies them into a good deal of 
bad interpretation, shall we gain anything by 
maintaining a false translation, and allowing the 
Campbellites to be the champions of the true, 
with the world's scholarship on their side, as 
against us? . . . When the Campbellites translate 



FOR RKMI>STON OF SINS 111 

in order to in Acts 2 : 38, they translate 
correctly."— Dr. J. W. Willmarth, a Baptist. 

''He (Peter) at tlie same time called upon his 
hearers to be baptized in the name of Jesus, the 
founder and head of the Heavenly Kingdom, that 
even they, though they had crucified the Lord of 
Glory, might receive forgiveness of sins and the 
gift of the Holy Ghost, whose w^onderful work- 
ings they saw in the disciples." — Dr. Philip 
Schaflf, in History of the Christian Church Vol. 
1, p. 61. 

Some time ago Dr, Harper, President of the 
University of Chicago, and editor of the Bibical 
World, received a question as to the force of eAs 
in Matt. 3:11, and Acts 2 : 38, which he answered 
in his magazine. After saying that there is no 
strictly grammatical reason why the preposition 
should not look backward, thus signifj'ing 
''because of," he says: ''But the telic force is so 
much more common, and so much more obvious 
in these latter cases that the writer would 
probably have chosen some other form of expres- 
sion, less open to misunderstanding, if he had 
desired to express the idea you suggest." 



CHAPTER IV. 



ACTS 22 : 16. 

''And nolo why tarriest thou f Arise, and be 
baptized, and^ loash aioay thy sins, calling on 
his name.'' 

''Here, too, baptism is that by means of which 
the forgiveness of sins committed in the 
pre-Christian life takes place." — Meyer. 

''So supra 2 : 38. Baptistheetoo — Eis aphesin 
haniartioon, reference being made, in each 
passage, to tlie method appointed by Christ for 
remitting the sins of those who rightly received 
this sacrament.'' — Bloomneld. 

"Wash away thy sins; apolousai, onlj^ here 
and in 1 Cor. 6:11, where it is found in exactly 
the same sense of 'w^ashing away sins' (see vs. 
9, 10) in holj^ baptism." — Pulpit Commentary. 

"Baptism, administered to real penitents, is 
both a means and seal of pardon. Nor did God 
ordinarily, in the i)rimitive church, bestow^ this 
on any unless through this means." — Wesley. 

15 "3 



CHAPTER Y, 



TITUS 3 : 4-6. 

'-'But lohen the kindness of God our Savior^ 
and his love towards man^ appeared^ not hy 
works done in righteousness^ which we did. 
ourselves^ hut according to his mercy he saved 
us^ through the washing of regeneration and 
renewing of the Holy Spirit^ which he poured 
out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our 
Savior y 

''Thus he says, that all those that have been 
baptized into Christ, had entered into vital 
communion with him, Gal. 8 : 27; language 
which was applicable only to those in whom the 
inward and the outward harmonized as the idea 
of baptism required. Hence also he calls baptism 
the bath of regeneration and of renewal by the 
Holy Spirit, Tit. 3 : 5."— Neander's Planting and 
Training of the Christian Church. 

•'Here we have the means through or by which 

"5 



116 TITUS 3: 4-6. 

God's mercy saves us. The washing or rather 
laver of regeneration {lontroii) — found elsewhere 
in the New Testament only in Eph. ^ : 26. In 
exactly the same connection — is the laver or bath 
in which the washing takes place." — Pulpit 
Commentary. 

''Sanctification, expressed by the laver of 
regeneration, (that is, baptism, the thing 
signified, as well as the outward sign), and the 
renewal of tlie Holy Ghost; which purifies the 
soul, as water cleanses the body, and renews it in 
the whole image of God." — Wesley. 

''The word in itself would naturally be 

t/ 

understood as referring to baptism (comp. Notes 
on Acts 22:16,) w^hich was regarded as the 
emblem of washing away sins, or of cleansing 
from them. I say it was the emblem, not the 
means of purifying the soul from sin. If this be 
the allusion, and it seems probable, then the 
phrase 'washing of regeneration' would mean 
'that outward washing or baptism which is the 
emblem of regeneration,' and which is appointed 
as one of the ordinances connected with 
salvation. " — Barnes. 

"The expression: to lutr on paling enesi as ^ 



TITUS 3:4-6 117 

Ijas been very arbitrarily interpreted by some 
expositors, some takino; loiUron as a figurative 
name for the regeneratio itself, or for the 
predicatio evangelii, or for the Holy Spirit, or 
for the abundant imparting of the spirit. From 
Eph. 5:26 it is clear that it can mean nothing- 
else but baptism." — Meyer. 

''By the washing' of regeneration (dla loutrou 
Ijoliiigeneslas) undoubtedly the apostle here 
means baptism, the right by which persons were 
admitted into the church; and the visible sign of 
cleansing, purifying influences of the Holy 
Spirit, which the apostle immediately subjoins. 
Baptism is only a sign, and therefore should 
nev(ir be separated from the thing signified : 
But it is a right commanded by God himself, and 
therefore the thing signified should never be 
expected without it.'' — Clarke. 

"And inasmuch as it is in that font, and when 
we are in it, that the first breath of that life is 
drawn, it is the font of,— belonging to, pertaining 
to, setting forth, — regeneration. Observe, there 
is here no figure : the w^ords are literal : 
Baptism is taken as in all its completion, — the 
outward visible sign accompanied by the inward 



118 TITUS 3 :4-6. 

spiritual grace; and as thus complete, it not only 
represents, but is, the new birth." — Alford. 

''For without the Word of God the water is 
nothing but water, and no baptism; but with the 
Word of God it is a baptism — that is a gracious 
water of life and a washing of regeneration in 
the Holy Ghost, as St. Paul says, Titus, third 
chapter." — Luther, in Schaff's Creeds of 
Christendom, Vol. 3, p. 96. 

''Tiiis is of the more use to note, because many 
modern writers use the word regeneration, or 
new birth, for repentance and conversion, 
whether it be accompanied with baptism at that 
time or not. But the ancients do not so. The 
Scripture also uses it for baptism. The washing 
of regeneration. Tit. 3:5, is the washing of 
baptism." — Wall on Infant Baptism, Vol. 1, p. 43. 

''By the washing of regeneration, I allow, is 
meant baptism; that is by the whole phrase; 
but to say by regeneration is meant baptism, too, 
is absurd and groundless enough." — Dr. Gale, in 
Wall on Infant Baptism, Vol. 2, p. 311. 



CHAPTER VI. 



1 PETEK B: 19-21. 

''In which {Spirit) he loent and preached irnto 
the spirits in prison, that aforetime loere dis- 
obedient, when the longsuffering of God waited^ 
in the days of Noah, while the ark was a pre- 
paring, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were 
saved through water: which also after a true 
likeness {in the antitype^ doth now save you, 
even baptism, not the putting away of the filth 
of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good con- 
science toward Ood, through the resurrection of 
Jesus Christ,^ ^ 

•'The antitype whereof — The thing typified by 
the ark, even baptism, now saveth as — That is, 
through the water of baptism we are saved from 
the sin which overwhelms the world as a flood : 
not, indeed, the bare outward sign, but the inward 
grace; a divine consciousness that both our 
persons and our actions are accepted through 
him who died and arose again for us." — 
Wesley. „p 



120 1 PETER 3 : 19-21. 

''The antitype to which thing (namely, what 
corresponds to, and was figured by the preserva- 
tion of Noah and his family in the ark) doth 
now saveth us, through the resurrection of 
Christ, as the ark did then; (I mean) baptism, 
which is not merely the putting away the filth of 
the Hesh (by material water), but the answer of a 
good conscience towards God. By soozei is 
meant, 'places us in a state of salvation.' " — 
Bloomfield. 

''There must be a deep internal work on the 
soul of man in order that he may be acceptable 
to God, and when that is wanting no external 
right is of any avail. Yet (5) it does not follow 
from this that baptism is of no importance. 
The argument of the apostle here is, that it is of 
great importance. Noah was saved by water; 
and so baptism has an important connection with 
our salvation. As water bore up the ark, and 
was the means of saving Noah, so baptism 
by water is the emblem of our salvation, 
and when administered in connection with 
a 'good conscience,' that is with a renovated 
heart, it is as certainly connected with our 
salvation as the sustaining waters of the flood 



1 PETEK 3 : 19-21. ' 121 

were with the salvation of Noah. No man can 
prove from the Bible that baptism has no 
important connection with salvation; and no man 
can prove that by neglecting it, he will be as 
likely to obtain the divine favor as he would bj^ 
observing it. It is a means of exhibiting great 
and important truths in an impressive manner to 
the soul; it is a means of leading the soul to an 
entire dedication to a God of purity; it is a 
means tlirough w^hich God manifests himself to 
the soul, and through which he imparts grace as 
he does in all other acts of obedience to his 
commandments." — Barnes. 

"It must be noted that hudatos is anarthrous, 
and although by the term no other water can be 
understood than that of the flood, yet Peter's 
object here is not to show that the same water 
which destroyed some served as the means of 
deliverance for others, but merely to state that 
the deliverance of Noah and those with him was 
affected by water, in order that this water then 
may be recognized as the type of the saving 
water of baptism." — Meyer. 

'•Water once saved the world, water cleansed 
it from that wickedness which was bringing down 

i6 



122 1 PETER 3:19-21. 

the wrath of God; the world passed then througli 
a baptism of water which was death unto sin, but 
a new birth unto righteousness; there was a new 
beginning, new possibilities, new hopes. And 
water saved the lew that liad entered into the 
ark; it bore up the ark, and saved those in it 
from the wrath of men and from the contagion of 
surrounding pollution. Yet one of those few 
brought upon himself his father's curse. So 
baptism, the antitype of the water of the Flood, 
is now saving those who by it are admitted into 
the ark of Christ's Church. It is saving us, for 
it is the beginning of our salvation, bringing us, 
as it does, into covenant with God.'' — Pulpit 
Commentary. 

''It is thus that we see how St. Peter preserves 
the correspondence between the act of Noah in 
preparing the ark as an act of faith by which he 
was justified, and the act of submitting to 
Christian baptism, which is also obviously an act 
of faith, in order to the remission of sins, or the 
obtaining of a good conscience before God." — 
Watson's Theological Institutes, Vol. 2, p. 624. 

''In 1 Peter, 3:21, we have baptism described, 
not as a mere outward cleansing, but as something 



1 PETEK 3:19-21. 123 

demanded by a good conscience towards God. 
This means Christian experience. The order of 
thought then is, CJiristian experience, baptism, 
salvation. 

''Thns my argument is stated briefly. I 
honestly think ' I am right grammatically, 
logically, doctrinally." — Prof. J. E. Boise, Ph. 
D., LL. D., of the Baptist Union Theological 
Seminar}', in a letter to the author. 



PART III. 



CHAPTER I 



MR. CAMPBELL AXD * 'ACTUAL AND FORMAL 
REMISSION OF SINS." 



Inasmuch as strenuous efforts have been made 
to show that Mr. Campbell entertained the idea 
that a believer's sins are actually and really 
forgiven before baptism, and that in baptism he 
receives a certificate of actual remission already 
received, which he called formal remission, and 
that he maintained this position throughout his 
life, I deem it proper to look carefully into this 
matter and fully place it before the public in its 
true light. This much is due the memory of Mr. 
Campbell, and the truth of history. It is 
freely admitted that Mr. Campbell used language 
in 1823 which upon its face seems to support this 
idea; but subsequent events and explanations 
clearly show that he did not mean by the language 
then used, what some of its modern expounders 
read into it. The language was used in the 
McCalla debate and is as follows : 

"The water of baptism, then, formally washes 

125 



126 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

away oiir sins. The blood of Christ really 
washes away our sins, Paul's sins were really 
pardoned when he believed; yet he had no 
solemn pledge of the fact, no formal acquital, no 
formal purgation of his sins, until he washed 
them away in the water of baptism.'' 

That Mr. Campbell did not mean by this 
language what some moderns w^ould make him 
appear to have meant, I propose to make 
abundantly clear. In 1842 Charles M. Hubbard 
wrote Mr. Campbell the following letter: ''At 
the request of some of the brethren and friends 
of the reformation, I write you a line or two 
upon a subject which we do not remember to 
have seen reverted to since the publication of 
the article in the Harbinger, Dec. No., 1840. In 
that number, notes on Mr. Meredith's 
communication, you say, (I write from memory), 
that 'some of your brethren in their zeal have 
made baptism rather 2^ 'par don-procuring than a 
pardon-certifying ordinance.' Some of us are 
disposed to think with those brethren, with the 
Book before us, that baptism is one of the media 
by which we get at the efficacy of that blood 
which cleanses from all sin. This opinion of 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL KEMISSION OF SINS. 127 

yours has gone far to allaj^ the inquiries of 
many an honest man in the Baptist ranks after 
truth and reformation. 

''It appears to me that the great point of 
difference between us and the Baptists and other 
immersed believers, is, that we baptize that the 
applicant may have the forgiveness or the 
remission of sins, whilst they baptize because 
their sins have been pardoned. If they are 
wrong, we are right, or vice versa. Many seem 
to think that you have abandoned the ground of 
baptism for the remission of sins : hence the 
Methodists say 'you have returned to orthodoxy, 
and should be let alone' since the opinion 
expressed in that number; and the Baptists say 
that *that admission is all they ever contended 
for.' You will oblige us by an explanatory 
answer to these interrogartories, which appear to 
me to cover the whole ground : — Is immersion 
for the remission of sins ? If so, how can a man 
be pardoned or justified without immersion ? 
And if not pardoned or forgiven his sins, how is 
he in the new covenant? We desire information 
on these points, and hope you will not deem these 
queries impertinent, and will give us an answer 



J 28 ACTUAL AND FORMAL KEMISSION OF SINS. 

I)rivately or through the Harbinger, as may best 
suit your views of propriety. We do not wish 
to agitate the troubled waters of controversy, but 
seek light." 

To this letter Mr. Campbell replied as follows : 
''Dear Bro. Hubhard : That conscience that 
would take such an advantage of an admission, 
such as you define, were it in fact just as you 
represent it, is far from being in a healthy state. 
But if any one so interpret my views or 
statements alluded to, as to make baptism not 
for the remission of sins, but because sins are 
remitted before, such are not to be reasoned with 
by you or me. True, indeed, I have heard, and 
still hear of preachers who have spoken of 
baptism as though the efficacy were wholly in 
it to cleanse from sin, which only belongs to that 
blood to which baptism brings us so near; 
and whose representations are so strong 
as though a person could not be hereafter 
saved who had the faith of Abraham, and 
failed by accident of finding water. Now 
if because 1 oppose this representation ot* this 
subject as much as 'baptism because of the 
remission of sins,' some persons of perverted 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSIOISr OF SINS. 129 

reason and judgment affirms that I give up 
baptism for remission of sins; might he not as 
justly say of me, that in contending witli James 
for justification by works, I have given up Paul 
and his justification by faith ? I still say with 
Jesus the great teacher, 'He that believeth and is 
baptized shall be saved. He does not say that 
he that believeth or he that is baptized shall be 
saved; but he that believeth and is baptized; 
and I say with Peter, 'repent and be baptized 
every one of you for the remission of sins." 
—Mill. Har., 1842, pp. 127, 128. 

This was the place for Mr. Campbell to 
propound and illustrate the idea of a double 
forgiveness, if he held any such view. But 
instead of doing that he simp]\^ protests against 
the mistaken idea that the ''efficacy is wholly in 
it (baptism) to cleanse from sin," and also against 
the notion that a believer must be lost simply 
because he fails to be baptized because of lack of 
opportunitj\ These protests the brethren have 
generally made from the beginning. He also 
says what we all say, namely, that the efficacy to 
cleanse from sin is in the blood of Christ, "to 
which baptism brings us so near." But how can 

«7 



130 ACTUAL AND FOEMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

baptism bring us (so near) the blood of Christ, if 
faith has already brought us in contact with that 
blood so effectually that our sins are pardoned 
before baptism? 

In 1842 a discussion of baptism for remission of 
sins took place between Mr. Campbell and 
Andrew Broaddus, a Baptist. In this discussion 
Mr. Broaddus said: ^'But it behooves me, in 
'defining my position,' to state my own view of 
'baptism for remission of sins': for ^uvelj titer e is 
a sense in which remission of sins is connected 
with baptism: Acts 2:38, and 22:16. Well, 
then, I first prove that the sins of a believer — of 
every true believer, are actually remitted. I do 
not here go into the argument; but only refer to 
the testimony of our Lord, before quoted — 'he is 
past from death unto life'. Now, this being the 
case, the actual remission of sins cannot be 
suspended on the performance of a subsequent 
act — baptism^ for instance: and in whatever sense 
remission of sins is to be considered as connected 
with this act, that sense, of course, must be such 
as will not conflict with the fact already estab- 
lished — actual remission through faith in Christ. 
Is there then a sense in which it may be taken, in 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 131 

accordance with this fact? There is such a sense: 
and that is, to consider baptism as the visahle 
certificate — the sensible pledge of remission — the 
formal Avashing away of sins. And thus, that 
which had invisibly taken place, is now visibly 
declared or manifested.'- — Mill. Har., p. 145. 

This is a remarkably clear statement of the 
position which has recently been attributed to 
Mr. Campbell; and yet it is the position of Mr. 
Broaddus — taken in a discussion with Mr. Camp- 
bell, and Mr. Campbell controverted it! The 
latter says: ''The only point of difference 
between us is about the sense in which remission 
of sins is connected with baptism, the fact of the 
connection being fully acknowledged by us 
both.'' Let it be carefully noted that the posi- 
tion of Mr. Broaddus is, that the connection is 
that of securing the formal remission of sins, 
actual remission having already taken place. Mr. 
Campbell categorically declares that he differs 
from Mr. Broaddus in this position. And yet 
fhere are those who claim to understand Mr. 
Campbell better than their brethren understand 
him, and attribute to him precisely" the position 
of Mr. Broaddus! 



132 ACTFAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

In this same discussion and the same article 
Mr. Campbell, referring- to his statement in the 
McCalla debate, says: ''This is the doctrine 
contended for in the first promulgation of 
baptism for the remission of sins made in the 
current reformation. See my debate with Mr. 
McCalla on that subject in 1823. It is there, 
perhaps, where this distinction is expressly 
stated, and formally drawn out, for the first time 
in the pending controversy. It is true I never 
altogether liked the phraseology. It was the 
best I could then think of; and if properly 
defined, is, to my judgment, admissable. But I 
have seen it much abused, and perhaps a term 
less liable to abuse might be preferred to it." 
The only way in which this language has ever 
been abused is by reading into it a meaning that 
Mr. Campbell never intended, and which he has 
in various ways repudiated. 

Continuing this reply to Mr. Broaddushesays: 
''But can we not find a more aprropriate and less 
ambiguous term than 'actuaV to denote that 
remission of sins which you conceive antecedent 
to baptism? Would not the wovA provisional ov 
prospective more fitly qualify the remission 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL KEMISSIOX OF SINS. 133 

which you attach to faith contrasted with that 
which yon attach to baptism^ A person may be 
provisionally or conditionally pardoned the 
moment he believes in his heart, before he makes 
confession with his lips unto salvation. Indeed, 
your reasonings seem to imply this: for you 
agree with me. tUat shouki a person willfully or 
knowingly neglect or despise baptism, no matter 
how great his faith, he could not be forgiven. 
The faith, then, which obtains with you a provis- 
ional remission is one that has in it the spirit of 
obedience to that divine institution: for without 
such a spirit of obedience no one could be 
pardoned. It then amounts to this, that when 
anyone believes with his heart the gospel, he is 
forgiven provisionally: but not formally, or in 
fact, till he has been baptized. Whatever sense 
of remission the believer may have, rises from 
the surrender of himself made to the Lord in his 
own purpose when first he believes the gospel: 
for, in the absence of such a determination, what 
sense or feeling of pardon or peace could any 
one enjoy. 

'•I have somewhere illustrated my conception 
of that remission of which you speak by a 



134 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

provisional or prospective pardon tendered from 
the governor of a state to some one condemned 
to die. Pardon is offered on condition that the 
condemned solemnly sign a confession of his 
crime, and swear oflf from that intemperance 
which led to the perpetration of it. Believing 
the proclamation, he signs, as soon as 
convenient, the pledge offered to him; but 
before he signed he feels the joys of pardon in 
his soul, rising from his purpose to submit to 
the full extent of the whole requisition. Still he 
is not formally or in fact pardoned till he has 
signed."— Mill. Har., 1842, p. 150. 

This is such a direct repudiation of the 
doctrine of actual and formal remission, as it 
has recently been attributed to Mr. Campbell, 
that any thoughtful person can readily see it. 
Mr. Campbell expressly declares that by ''actual 
remission" he meant "provisional or prospective" 
remission, and that the believer is not pardoned 
'in fact" till he is baptized. His illustration 
shows that in his opinion the believer sustains 
the same relation to remission before bafjtism 
that a convict in the penitentiary sustains to 
pardon before subscribing to the conditions upon 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 135 

which jjardon is official]}^ offered him. He has a 
provisional or prospective pardon, but he is still 
in prison and there remains till he signs the 
conditions of release. 

But not only does Mr. Campbell repudiate the 
constraction that has recently been put upon his 
language, by giving it a contrary meaning, but 
he does the same thing from another j)oint of 
view. In this same discussion with Mr. 
Broaddus he says: ''Now let me remonstrate 
for a moment against this popular method of 
applying that class of scriptures that speak of 
the benefits and blessings that attach to faith. 
You have quoted one of them — viz : John 5 : 24. 
'He who heareth my doctrine and believeth him 
who sent me, hath eternal life, and shall not 
come into condemnation, but is past from death 
to life.' ''To hear,^ may I first observe, is, in the 
Hebrew style, to obey. 'Heai\ and your soul 
shall live,' etc. 'Hear him' — obey him, etc. 
Then the verse would read, 'He that obeyeth my 
(doctrine) teaching, and believeth him that sent 
me, hath eternal life, and is past from death to 
life.' etc. When the whole is taken together in 
its x^i'^P^i' meaning, how different from the 



186 ACTUAL AIS-D FOKMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

isolated words 'Is past from death to life,' taken 
speculatively. But this is not the point now 
before me. It is this : — Many things are said of 
faith as a principle involving other principles 
and acts which do not apply to faith alone. 
Take, for example, the very text before us — 
''Hath eternal life? Now one would think, at 
the first impulse, that the simple believer has in 
actual possession eternal life. But is this the 
fact? No; he only has it in right, in the will or 
grant of God through Christ, just as a minor has 
in virtue of a parent's will an estate in right, in 
his power, though not in his possession. 

''Now if you will examine the numerous 
passages that speak of obtaining eternal life as 
not yet in possession of believers, you cannot 
but assent to this important observation. If 
believers have, says Paul, 'their fruit to 
holiness,' then 'the end shall be everlasting life.' 
— 'The righteous shall go into eternal life.' — 'To 
those who seek for glory, honor, and immortality, 
he will bestow eternal life,' etc., etc. Certainly, 
then, the phrase 'has eternal life,' and the 
phrase 'is past from death to life,' are to be 
understood in a very qualified sense, and not as 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 137 

the inseparable adjuncts of the naked principle 
of belief. But while this is necessary to a sound 
and safe interpretation and application of many 
passages of scripture on the subject of faith, it 
does not materially affect any point in issue 
between you and me just now. Thousands, 
indeed, quote such passages as a sort of 
dispensation to waive any submission to baptism, 
or respect for it/' — Ibid. p. 151 . 

If it is possible for human language to settle 
anything, the foregoing exhibit settles it once 
for all that Mr. Campbell did not hold the 
doctrine of actual and formal remission, in the 
sense of some of his modern interpreters. It is 
difficult to see how any candid man can, in view 
of the foregoing quotations, further contend that 
Mr. Campbell held that a believer receives the 
remission of his sins through faith before 
baptism: and under ordinary circumstances the 
case would be closed here and now. But in view 
of the obstinate persistency with which this 
obvious error is urged, it is thought expedient to 
give line upon line and precept upon precept; so 
that in the future no man can look the public 
in the face and repeat this mistake. 

i8 



138 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

In the Campbell and Rice debate, which 
occurred in 1843, Mr. Rice quoted from the 
McCalla debate Mr. Campbell's statement in 
regard to actual and formal remission, and said : 
''I could shake hands with my friend over this 
sentiment, and we might have something like 
christian union. What does he sav ? ^Paul's 
sins were really pardoned, when he believed.' 
This is all for which I am contending — that the 
sins of every individual are really pardoned. 
when he believes. I quoted Dr. Fishback, a 
little while ago, one of his right hand men, in 
favor of this doctrine; and now^ I have Mr. 
Campbell himself on my side. It must be 
conceded, that I have the two most distinguished 
men in the gentleman's church sustaining the 
views for which I am contending." — Debate, p. 
516. in reply to the foregoing language Mr. 
Campbell said : ''I believe that when a person 
apprehends the gospel and embraces the Messiah 
in his soul, he has in anticipation received the 
blessing. His mind finds peace in the Lord. 
*He rejoices with joy unspeakable and full of 
glory.' He anticipates the end of his faith — his 
actual emancipation from sin. In his heart he 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 139 

dies unto sin, and bj^ liis burial and resurrection 
with the Lord, he thus formally receives what 
was at first received in anticipation." This is 
preciselj^ the same explanation of the matter that 
Mr. Campbell made in his discussion with Mr. 
Broaddus. It shows that his view was that a 
believer receives no remission before baptism, 
except by anticipation, and that ''actual 
emancipation from sin" comes after baptism. 

In the same debate Mr. Campbell uses the 
following language : ''Pardon is no quality of 
the mind, nor remission of sins a virtue. It is a 
sovereign act of favor on the part of the offended. 
^Justification is an act of God's free grace,' as 
the old catechism says. It is no process; it is 
done in a moment — it is an act — a single act 
— word — a volition. The persons to whom Peter 
spoke the precept, were believers Their asking, 
'what shall we do V was a confession of the facts 
alleged in the speech. Peter did not command 
them to believe — a proof that they had believed. 
Now I ask, how could he command believers to 
seek remission of sins, if pardon and faith were 
simultaneous? Nor did he say, 'be baptized, 
because your sins are forgiven you.' The words 



140 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

used by our Lord in instituting the cup, This is 
my blood, shed for (not because of) the remission 
of sins. Why hold out the idea of baptism for 
the remission of sins, if the act was past? It 
might have been the intention of one or both 
parties to speak prospectively, but to speak of 
remission as past or present, entered not into the 
conceptions of either. Moreover there must he 
some reason for the act of pardon which did not 
exist before the moment that it passed." — Debate, 
p. 534. Let it be observed that this language 
contemplates pardon as one act. It cannot 
possibly contemplate pardon in two acts — one 
before baptism and one after. This is a capital 
place for that idea and no doubt Mr. Campbell 
would have introduced it here if he had 
entertained it. 

In reply to an argument against baptism for 
remission of sins, which Mr. Rice based on 
certain passages, Mr. Campbell said: ''The 
gentleman sees, in these jjassages, and many 
such, a refutation of my views, as he supposes, 
and of the confession, and the fathers, and the 
commentators, etc. He sees in such words as 
ihese, arguments strong and irrefragable. I 



ACTUAL AND FOK^MAL REMISSION OF SINS. 141 

wish he would show us where their great strength 
lies. I will take one of them for a sample — for 
the whole category to which it belongs, and lay 
it open to your consideration . 'He that hath 
the son, hath eternal life.' Now this 'having the 
Sou, means balieviug ou him, receiving him, 
confiding in him, as, I presume, you have all 
been taught. Now, I will use the Scripture to 
explain and open the Scripture. Jesus says to 
his Father, in the intercessory prayer, 'All thine 
are mine^ and 'That they may see the glory which 
thou hast given me.' Again, Paul says, 'We 
have nothing, and yet possess all things.' Now, 
while our Savior could say, 4ie had not where to 
lay his head,' he could also say, 'all thine are 
mine;' all things that God had were his, and yet he 
had nothing. Does not every one, then, perceive 
that there are two ways of having things — in 
grant, or in right, and in actual possession. 
Here is a lad who has an immense landed estate, 
but is not yet possessed of a foot of it. He has 
it, however, in right of his father's will. Now^ 
he That believeth is pardoned, has eternal life, 
possesses all things, although he is a poor frail 
mortal. By faith he has them in hope, in 



142 ACTUAL ATsTD FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

anticipation\ he has them in grant, in right, 
according to the will of God. Is Mr. Rice the 
onlv one in this assembly that does not so 
understand this? In this sense onlj^ could Jesus 
have the universe, when he had not a penny. In 
this way only had Paul all things, when he had 
nothing. And in this way a poor, frail, dying 
christian has eternal life, and a sinner 
righteousness^ sanctiUcation, and redemption. 

''If Mr. Rice did not design all this talk about 
faith, &c., &c., for an ad captanditm argument, 
it is clearly one of that class: but nor of such 
high elegance and plausibility as to inveigle any 
one of much mental comprehension and perpspi- 
cacity. All things, then, are possible to him that 
believes. Faith is the great principle. It is, 
however, but a principle — b)^ which we may 
secure righteousness, holiness, redemption, 
riches, glory, immortality. But such a faith 
loorTcs^ works mightily, constantly, and always 
by love.'^^ — Debate, pp. 456. 

The foregoing declarations are remarkably 
lucid, and make it as clear as a sunbeam that Mr. 
Campbell did not entertain the idea that a 
believer's sins are pardoned and that he actually 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 143 

has eternal life before baptism. His view was 
that the believer has these blessings in grant, in 
right, and in prospect, and receives actual ''eman- 
cipation from sin'' when he is baptized. Of Mr. 
Rice's atteaipt to prove bj^ certain passages that 
a believers sins are forgiven before baptism, Mr. 
Campbell said: '*For, why at once abjure the 
creed and the assemblies' interi)retation of John 
8:5. And the fathers whom he has, till just 
now% so highly revered, and raise qidhhles 
about such phrases as these: 'He that believeth 
on the Son of God hath eterna] life' — 'He that 
believeth on him is not condemned' — 'He that 
believeth on him is justified from all things,' &c. 
''This is good reading for those who are 
revamping these "quibbles" and trying to fit 
them upon Mr. Campbell himself. 

Attention is now called to Mr. Campbell's 
views as set forth in the Christian Baptist, a 
publication which ran from Aug. 3, 1823, to July, 
1830, inclusive. In that work Mr. Campbell 
expresses himself with remarkable force and 
clearness. He says: "In the third place, I 
proceed to show that w^e have the most explicit 
proof that Grod forgives sins for the name's sake 



144 ACTUAL AISTD FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

of his Son, or when the name of Jesns Christ/5 
named upoa us in imonerslon: — that in: and hy 
— the act of immersion, so soon as our bodies 
are put under water, at that very instant our 
former, or 'old sins'' are all loashed away^ 
provided only that we are true believers. This 
was the view and the expectation of every one 
who was immersed in the apostolic age; and it 
was a conscionsness of having received this 
blessing that caused them to rejoice in the Lord, 
and, like the eunuch, to 'go on their way 
rejoicing'. When Jesus commanded reforma- 
tion and forgiveness of sins to be announced in 
his name to all nations, he commanded men to 
receive immersion to the confirmation of this 
promise. Thus we tind that when the gospel was 
announced on Pentecost, and when Peter opened 
the kingdom of heaven to the Jews, he 
commanded them to be immersed for the remis- 
sion of sins. This is quite sufficient, if we had 
not another word on the subject. I say it is 
quite sufficient to show that the forgiveness of 
sins and Christian immersion were, in their first 
proclamations by the holy apostles, inseparably 
connected together. Peter, to whom was 



ACTUAL AND^FORMAL REMISSIOIS^ OF SINS. 145 

committed the keys, opened the kingdom of 

heaven in this manner, and made repentance, or 

reformation, and immersion, equally necessary to 

forgiveness. In the common version it reads 

thus: 'Repent and be baptized every one of you, 

for the remission of sins, and you shall receive 

the gift of the Holy Spirit'. When anything is 

done for any purpose it is always understood 

that there is a necessary connection betwixt that 

which is done, and the object in view. When a 

person is immersed for the remission of sins, it is 

just the same as if expressed, in order to obtain 

the remission of sins. But my limits are filled 

up, and I must interrupt my argument for the 

present, promising, all things concurring, to bring 

it to a legitimate or logical close in my next. In 

the meantime I have only to request my devout 

readers to remember one fact, which speaks 

volumes to Christendom. It is this: The first 

three thousand persons that were immersed after 

the ascension of Christ into heaven, were 

immersed for the remission of their sins with 

the promise of the Holy Spirit. I am bold, 

therefore, to aflBirm, that every one of them who, 

in the belief of what the apostle spoke, was 

19 



146 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

immersed, did, in the very instant in which he 
was put under water, receive the forgiveness of 
his sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit." — Chris- 
tian Baptist, pp. 416, 417. 

The argument is continued thus; "1. That 
the apostles addressed Christians as having their 
sins forgiven, was fully j)roved in our last. 2. 
That frequent allusions to baptism in the apos- 
tolic epistles represent it as an ablution or jjurifi- 
cation from sins, w^as demonstrated. And 3. 
That it is expressly said, and explicitly taught 
in the New Testament that God forgives men's 
sins in the act of immersion, was also attempted 
to be shown. In this we had advanced so far as 
to state that when Peter, to whom was committed 
the keys to the kingdom of heaven, opened that 
kingdom to the Jews on Pentecost, he opened it 
by an authoritive enunciation of the remission of 
sins through immersion into the faith of Jesus. 
When asked bv thousands what thev should do 
to escape the impending vengeance, and to 
obtain forgiveness for their transgressions, he 
said, 'Reform', or, as in the common version, 
'repent and be immersed every one of you for the 
remission of your sins, and you shall receive the 



ACTUAL AND FOKMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 147 

gift of the Holy Spirit'. When he commanded 
them to be immersed in the name of the Lord, or 
bv the authority of the Lord, into the name of 
the Lord, it was for some end, and that end or 
object was stated so explicitly as to authorize us 
to conclude our last essay with the declaration of 
one fact of immense meaning — viz. That the 
first three thousand persons that were immersed 
after the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven 
were immersed for the remission of their sins. 
When any action is performed for any purpose 
the purpose is gained, provided that there is an 
established connection between that which is 
done, and the j)urpose for which it is done. This 
must be the case alwavs when infallible wisdom 
and perfect benevolence ajjpoint the action and 
the end. The laws of grace are as sure in their 
operation, and as certain in their effects, as the 
laws of nature. When I put my finger into the 
fire, by a law of nature it is burned: and just as 
certainly am I forgiven of all my trespasses, by a 
law of grace, when in faith I am immersed in 
water into the name of the Lord Jesus. This is 
the apostles' doctrine, and to all believers in 
revelation, this being proved, the above assertion 



148 ACTUAL AKD FOKMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

is proved. To those who are aware of the use 
and importance of being explicit in the promul- 
gation of law, or in the commencement of any 
institution, it will at once appear that had not 
christian immersion been designed primarily for 
the remission of sins, the apostles committed a 
most injurious error in giving birth to the idea, 
and in raising the expectation of an inquisitive 
audience to look for the remission of sins by or 
through immersion into the name of the Lord 
Jesus. Suppose, for example, when these three 
thousand were afterwards dispersed through the 
community, as many of them were to a great dis- 
tance from Jerusalem, and that one or all of them 
had been asked, for what they had been immersed 
on that day of Pentecost; what answer coald 
they have given but 'for the remission of their 
sins?' If they believed either the words of Peter 
or their own experience they could not otherwise 
respond. Had not this been the true meaning of 
immersion, the apostles laid the foundation for 
universal imposition and deception, by thus 
commencing the administration of the reign of 
heaven. If ever any practice demanded circum- 
spection in the institution and explanation of it, 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 149 

this one did; and if ever any person or persons 
were qualified so to do, these persons were. So 
that the inference is inevitable that the apostle 
meant what he expressed, and that in the act of 
immersion the remission of sins was bestowed. 

''Tliat such was the universally received sense 
of immersion amongst the preachers and teachers 
of Christianity, is most certain from express 
declaration and incident. For example : When 
Paul was immersed, it was declared and 
understood by the parties that all his previous 
sins were washed away in the act of immersion. 
The person sent to immerse him was sent 
expressly by heaven — and Ananias said to him, 
'Arise and be immersed, and wash away your 
sins, calling upon the Lord.' He obeyed and 
was immersed, and his sins were washed away. 
Had any person met Paul and Ananias, when 
on their way to the water, and asked Paul for 
what he was going to be immersed; Vv-hat answer 
could he have given, if he believed the words of 
Ananias, other than 'I am going to be immersed 
for the purpose of washing away my sins ? Or 
had he been accosted on his return from the 
water, and requested to tell what benefit he had 



loO ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

received through or by the immersion, what 
answer could he have given other than, I have 
w^ashed away my sins ? I argue, and who can 
argue otherwise ? that whatever immersion was to 
Paul, it is the same to every jjerson, man, 
woman and child; barbarian, Scythian; bondman 
or freeman, who has the same faith Paul had 
when Ananias immersed him. 

''AVhat made the Eunuch go on his way 
rejoicing ? Was it because he had some difficult 
text explained ? Or was it because he had some 
distant hope or remote prospect of enjoying 
pardon and acceptance after death, or after the 
lapse of certain years of travail and of trial ? 
No, indeed; he had found what thousands before 
him had exjjerienced, peace with God, from a 
conviction that his sins had been ACTUALLY 
forgiven in the act of immersion. Indeed the 
preaching of all the apostles, as well as all their 
writings embrace this as a fact NEVER TO BE 
CALLED IN QUESTION. And it is impossible 
for us to understand many things w^hich they 
have said upon other subjects unless we 
understand them aright upon this one. This is a 
beautiful and well-defined stripe which runs 



ACTUAL AI^D FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 151 

through the whole evangelical web. This 
authorized John the apostle when he vvrote to 
the least child in the Christian Church, to say, 
Thy sins are forgiven thee — 'I wiite to you, little 
children, because your sins have been forgiven 
you for or through his name.' This authorized 
Peter to say, 'Immersion does now save us; not 
the putting off the filth of the flesh in the water; 
but the answer of a good conscience, through the 
rising of Christ' — denoted in our rising with him 
in immersion. 

''Let us now look back. It has been shown 
that the Apostle Paul taught that Jmmersion 
was the bath of regeneration. Now, if a person 
can be regenerated and not forgiven; if he can 
have a pure heart, and a guilty conscience at one 
and the same time — then is my reasoning 
erroneous, and my conclusions false. But if 
immersion is the bath of regeneration, and if a 
pure heart must have a good conscience, as Paul 
teaches, then is my reasoning correct, and my 
conclusions to be relied on. 'The end of the 
commandment, or charge, or gospel, is love out 
of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and a 
faith unfeigned'. This is the philosophy of 



153 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

Paul. But why reason to prove that for which 
w^e have a broad jjrecept, an explicit promise, 
unequivocal prpcedents, and apostolic reasoning? 
Faith is not more evidently connected with 
immersion, than is immersion with the forgive- 
ness of sins. In the ancient gospel, it w^as first 
belief in Jesus; next immersion; THEN FOR- 
GIVENESS: then peace with (lod; then joy in 
the Holy Spirit."— Ibid. pp. 422, 423. 

Again: ''Now, methinks we are not to be 
scared out of our duty or privilege because of 
the errors or foibles of others. Nor do we lose 
sight of the forgiveness of our sins in immersion, 
because Bapists have made a savior of a mere 
ceremony. We connect faith with immersion as 
essential to forgiveness — and therefore, as was 
said of old, 'According to your faith, so be it to 
you'. So say we of immersion. He that goes 
down into the water to put on Christ, in the 
faith that the blood of Jesus cleanses from all 
sin, and that he has appointed immersion as the 
medium, and the act of ours, through and in 
which he actually and formally remits our sins, 
has when immersed, the ACTUAL REMISSION 
OP HIS SINS. So that he is dead by sin, buried 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL KEMISSION OF SINS. loB 

with Jesus, and is born again, or raised to life 
again, a life new and divine, in and through the act 
of immersion. This we have seen in the preceding 
essays is the Bible import of the one immersion. 
In it we put on Christ, are buried with him, rise 
with him, and have our sins remitted, enter upon 
a new life, receive the Holy Spirit, and begin to 
rejoice in the Lord." — Ibid., p. 436. 

Furthermore: ''Because we are Christ's, we 
have all things. So reads the inventory of the 
Christian's estate. Among these 'all things', we 
can easily find the forgiveness of our sins. This, 
then, becomes ours when we become Christ's; and 
if we formallj" and actually become Christ's the 
moment we are immersed into his name, it is as 
clear as day that the moment a believer is 
immersed into the name of Christ, he obtains the 
forgiveness of his sins as actually and as 
formally as he puts him on in immersion.'''^ — 
Ibid., p, 446. 

Still further: "I do earnestly contend that 

God, through the blood of Christ, forgives our 

sins through immersion — through the very act, 

and in the very instant .... We do most 

unequivocallj" conncet immersion and the bless- 

20 



L54 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

ings of the New Covenant, as explained in our 
former essays. But we object to our objectors, 
the injustice they do us in representing us as 
ascribing to immersion the efficacy of Christ's 
blood; seeing we declare that it is through faith 
in his blood that we receive remission in the act 
of immersion. Hence faith and immersion are 
the media through which these blessings are 
conveyed to the minds of men as stated in our 
last. So that the actual enjoyment of forgiveness, 
acceptance, adoption, and the gift of the Holy 
Spirit, are by a gracious necessity, made conse- 
quent on a believing immersion into the name of 
the Lord Jesus." — Ibid., p. 454. 

These lengthy and frequent quotations are 
made that the reader may feel fully assured that 
they correctly represent Mr. Campbell's position. 
Let it be noticed that, having explained ''actuaP' 
as he had formerly used it in connection with 
Paul's case, to mean provisional or prospective, 
he frequently uses it in the foregoing excerpts in 
connection with the remission which the believer 
receives in baptism. The idea is that the 
provisional or prospective remission which the 
believer receives, becomes actual remission when 
he is baptized. 



ACTUAL AN^D FOR^^IAL REMISSION OF SINS. 155 

In 1835 Mr. Campbell published the Christian 
System, and some extracts from that are cited 
here that the reader may see what his views were 
at that time: ''The obedience of the gospel is 
called the obedience of faith, compared with the 
obedience of the law, — faith in God's promise 
through Jesus Christ being the principle from 
which obedience flows. To present the gospel in 
the form of a command is an act of favor, because 
it engages the will and affections of men, and. 
puts it in their power to have an assurance of 
their salvation from which they would be 
necessarily excluded if no such act of obedience 
were enjoyed. 

''Whatever the act of faith may be, it 
necessarily becomes the line of discrimination 
between the two states before described. On the 
one side they are pardoned, justified, sanctified, 
reconciled, adopted, and saved : on the other, 
they are in a state of condemnation. This act is 
sometimes called immersion, regeneration, 
conversion; and, that this act maj^ appear 
obvious to all, we shall be at some pains to 
confirm and illustrate it. . . . 

'•No relation in which we stand to the material 



156 ACTUAL AND FOKMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

world— no political relation, or relation to 
society can be changed by believing, apart from 
the acts to which that belief or faith induces us. 
Faith never made an American citizen, though it 
may have been the canse of many thousands 
migrating to this continent and ultimately 
becoming citizens of these United States. Faith 
never made a man a husband, a father, a son, a 
brother, a master, a servant, though it may have 
been essentially necessary to all these relations, 
as a cause or principal preparatory or tending 
thereunto. Thus when in Scripture men are said 
to be justified by faith, or to receive any 
blessings through faith, it is because faith is the 
principle of action, and, as such, the cause of 
those acts by which such blessings are enjoyed. 
But the principle without those acts is nothing; 
and it is only by the acts which it induces to 
perform that it becomes the instrument of any 
blessings to man. 

''Many blessings are metonymically ascribed to 
faith in the sacred writings. We are said to be 
justified, sanctified, and purified by faith — to 
walk by faith, and to live by faith, etc., etc. 
But these sayings, as qualified by the Apostles, 



ACTUAL AND I^OKiSlAL KE^IISSION OF SII^S. 157 

mean no more than by believing* the truth of 
God we Jiave access into all these blessings. So 
that, as Paul explains, 'By faith we hate access 
into the favor in which we stand.' These words 
he uses on two occasions, when speaking of the 
value of this principle, contrasted with the 
principle of law; and in his letter to the 
Hebrews, w^hen he brings up his cloud of 
witnesses to the excellency of this principle, he 
show^s that by it the ancients obtained a high 
reputation, — that is, as he explains, by their acts 
of faith in obedience to God's commands. 

''That faith by itself neither justifies, sanctifies 
nor purifies, is admitted by those who oppose 
immersion for the remission of sins. They all 
include the idea of the Mood of Christ. And 
yet they seem not to perceive that, in objecting 
to immersion as necessary to forgiveness in 
connection with faith, their own arguments 
preclude them from connecting the blood of 
Christ with faith. If they admit that faith, 
apart from the blood of Christ, cannot obtain 
pardon, they admit all that is necessary to prove 
them inconsistent with themselves in opposing 
immersion for the remission of sins; or immersion 
as that act by which our state is changed. 



158 ACTUAL AND FOKMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

'*The Apostle Peter, when first publishing the 
gospel to the Jews, taught them that they were 
not forgiven tlieir sins hy faith; hut hy an act 
of faith, hy a helieving immersion into tlie Lord 
Jesus. That this may appear evident to all, we 
shall now examine his Pentecostian address, and 
his Pentecostian hearers. Peter — now holding 
the keys of the kingdom of Jesus, and speaking 
under the commission for converting the world, 
and bv the authority of the Lord Jesus; ouided, 
inspired, and accompanied by the Spirit — may be 
expected to speak the truth, the whole truth, 
plainly and intelligibly, to his brethren, the 
Jews. He had that day declared the gospel 
facts, and proved the resurrection and ascension 
of Jesus to the conviction of Thousands. They 
believed and repented — believed that Jesus was 
the Messiah, had died as a sin-offering, was risen 
from the dead, and crowned Lord of all. Being- 
full of this faith, they inquired of Peter and the 
other Apostles ^ohat tJiey onght to do TO 
OBTAIN REMISSION. They were informed 
that, thou2:li thev now believed and relented, 
THEY WERE NOT PARDONED, but mnst 
'reform and he immersed for the remission of 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 150 

si/is,'' Immersion for the forgiveness of sins was 
the command addressed to these believers, to 
tliese penitents, in answer to the most earnest 
question; and by one of the most sincere, candid, 
and honest speakers ever heard. This act of 
faith waspivsented as that act by which a change 
in their state couki be al¥ected; or, in other 
words, BY WHICH ALOXE THEY COULD BE 
PARDOX^ED.*'— Christian System, pp. 198, 194, 
195. 

*'Some captious spirits need to be reminded 
that, as they sometimes find forgiveness, justifi- 
cation, sanctification, ascribed to grace, to 
the blood of Christ, to the name of the Lord, 
without an allusion to faith; so we sometimes 
find faith, and grace, and the blood of Christ, 
without an allusion to water. Xow, if they have 
any reason and right to say. that faith is 
understood in the one case: we have the same 
reason and right to say, that water or immersion 
is understood in the other. For their argument 
is, that in sundry places this matter is made 
plain enough. This single remark cuts off all 
their objections drawn from the fact that immer- 
sion is not always found in every place where //^^ 



160 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

7iame of the hovd, or faUh, is found connected 
with forgiveness. Neither is grace, the blood of 
Christ, nor faith, always mentioned with forgive- 
ness. When they find a passage where remission 
of sins is mentioned without immersion, it is 
weak or unfair in the extreme, to argue from 
that, that forgiveness can be enjoyed without 
immersion. IF THEIR LOGIC BE WORTH 
ANYTHING, IT WILL PROVE THAT A MAN 
MAY BE FORGIVEN WITHOUT GRACE, 
THE BLOOD OF JESUS, AND WITHOUT 
FAITH: FOR WE CAN FIND PASSAGES, 
MANY PASSAGES, WHERE REMISSION, 
OR JUSTIFICATION, SANCTIFICATION, OR 
SOxME SIMILAR TERM, OCCURS, AND NO 
MENTION OF EITHER GRACE, FAITH OR 
THE BLOOD OF JESUS. As this is the pith, 
the marrow and fatness, of all the logic of our 
most ingenious opponents on this subject, I wish 
I could make it more emphatic than by printing 
it in capitals. I know some editors, some of our 
doctors of divinity, some of our most learned 
declaimers, who make this argument, which we 
unhesitatingly call a genuine sophism, the Alpha 
and the Omega of their speeches against the 



ACTUAL AXD FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS, 161 

meaning and indispensible importance of chris- 
tian immersion. 

"The New Testament would have been a 
curious book, if, every time remission of sins 
was mentioned or alluded to, it had been 
preceded by grace, faith, the Mood of Jesus, 
immersion, &c., &c. But now the question 
comes, which, to the rational, is the emphatic 
question:— WHETHER DO THEY THINK, 
BELIEVE, TEACH, AND PRACTICE MORE 
WISELY AND MORE SAFELY, WHO 
THINK, BELIEVE, AND TEACH THAT 
GRACE, FAITH, THE BLOOD OF JESUS, THE 
NAME OF THE LORD, ARE ALL ESSENTIAL 
TO IMMEDIATE PARDON AND ACCEPT- 
ANCE;— OR THEY WHO SAY, THAT FAITH 
ONLY, GRACE ONLY, THE BLOOD OF 
CHRIST ONLY, THE NAME OF THE LORD 
ONLY— AND IMMERSION NOT AT ALL? To 
all men, women, and children, of common sense, 
this question is submitted." — Ibid., pp., 211, 
212. 

The following paragraphs are of special import- 
ance, because thej^ bear directly upon the case 
of Paul: ''Paul, like the Pentecostian hearers, 

2i 



162 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

when convinced of the truth of the pretentions of 
tiie Messiah, asked what he should do. He was 
commanded to go into Damascus, and it should 
be told him there what to do. It was told him 
in the w^ords now before us (Arise and be 
baptized, and wash away your sins, calling upon 
the name of the Lord). But, say some, this 
cannot be understood literally. 

''For experiment, than, take it figuratively. 
Of what was it figurative? Of something already 
received? Of pardon formerly bestowed? A 
figure of the past? This is anomalous. I find 
one writer, and but one, who converts this into 
a commemorative baptism, like Israel's commem- 
orating the escape from Egypt, or christians 
commemorating the Lord's death. And, if I do 
not mistake, some preacher said it was a figura- 
tive expression, similar to 'This is my body'! 
One whom I pressed out of all refuges, was 
candid enough to say, he really did not know 
what it meant; but it could not mean that Paul 
was to 'be baptized for the remission of his sins' ! 

"'To wash away sins' is a figurative expression. 
Like other metaphoric expressions, it puts the 
resemblance in place of the projjer word. It 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 163 

necessarily means something analogous to what 
is said. But we are said to be washed from our 
sin in or b.y the blood of Christ. But even 
"washed in blood' is a figurative expression, and 
means something analogous to washing in water. 
Perhaps we find in another expression a means of 
reconciling these strong metaphors. Rev. 7 : 14 : 
'They have washed their robes, and made them 
white in the blood of the lamb'. Here are two 
things equally incomprehensible — to wash 
garments white in blood, and to wash away sins 
in water ! An eflficac}^ is ascribed to water which 
it does not possess and, as certainly, an 
efficacy is ascribed to blood which it does 
not possess. If blood can whiten or cleanse 
garments, certainly water can wash away 
sins. There is then, a transferring of the efficacy 
of blood to water, and the transferring of the 
efficacy of water to blood. This is a plain 
solution of the whole matter. God has 
transferred, in some way, the whitening efficacy 
or cleansing power of water to blood, and the 
absolving of pardoning power of blood to water. 
This is done upon the same principle as that of 
accounting faith for righteousness. What a 



164 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

gracious institution ! God has opened a fountain 
for sin, for moral pollution. He has given it an 
extension far and wide as sin has spread — far 
and wide as water flows. Wherever water, faith, 
and the name of the Father, Son, and Holy 
Spirit are, there will be found the efficacy of the 
blood of Jesus. Yes, as God flrst gave the 
efficacy of water to blood, he has now given the 
efficacy of blood to water. This, as was said, is 
figurative; but it is not a figure which misleads, 
for the meaning is given without a figure, viz. : 
IMMERSION FOR THE REMISSION OP SINS. 
And to him that made the washing of clay from 
the eyes the washing awaj^ of blindness, it 
is competent to make the immersion of the body 
in water efficacious to the washing away of sin 
from the consciencey — Ibid., i)p. 214, 215. 

''But as it is our object to quote and expatiate 
upon all the sacred testimonies, direct and 
allusive, to immersion for ihe remission of sins, 
we shall close the proof and illustration of this 
proposition with an incidental allusion to the 
cleansing efficacy of this institution, found in the 
second Epistle of Peter. After enumerating the 
additions to faith necessary to secure our calling 



ACTUAL AXD F0K:\IAL KEMISSION OF SINS. 165 

and election, of which courage is the first, and 
charity, or universal love, the last; the Apostle 
saj^s, that iie who has not these things is blind, 
shutting his eyes, and forgetting that he was 
purified from Ills old suis. I need not here say 
that this is, perhaps, (and certainly as far as I 
know), universally understood to refer to christian 
immersion. The 'old sins,' or 'former sins,' 
can, we presume, mean no other sins than those 
WASHED AWAY IX IMMERSION. No 
person, as yet, attempted to show that these 
words can import anything else. It is one of the 
most unequivocal, and, because incidental, one of 
the most decisive proofs, that, in Peter's 
judgment, all former sins were remitted in 
immersion. With Peter we began our proof of 
this position, and with Peter we shall end our 
proof of it. He first proclaimed reformation for 
the remission of sins; and in his last and farewell 
letters to the christian communities he reminds 
them of that p)urification from sin, received in 
and through immersion; and in the strongest 
terms cautions them against forgetting that they 
were so purified.*'— Ibid. pp. 216, 217. 

''The propositions now proved and illustrated 



166 ACTUAL AIS^D FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

must convince all that there is some connection 
between immersion and the forgiveness of sins. 
What that connection is, may be disputed by 
some; but that such a connection exists, none 
can dispute, who acknowledge the New 
Testament to contain a divine communication to 
man. With John Wesley, we say, it is 'to the 
believing the means and seal of pardon for all 
previous offences;' and we not only saj^ we think 
so, but w^e preach it as such, and practice it as 
such. Those who think of any other connection 
would do well to attempt to form clear ideas of 
w^hat they mean; for we are assured there is no 
meaning in any other connection. To make it a 
commemorative sign of past remission is an 
outrage upon all rules of interpretation, and a 
perfect anomaly in all the revelation of God. To 
make it, prospectively, the sign of a future 
remission, is liable to the same exceptions. 
Nothing remains but that it be considered — what 
it is in truth — the accompanying sign of an 
accompanying remission; the sign and seal, or the 
means and seal, of remission THEN GRANTED 
THROUGH THE WATER, connected with the 
blood of Jesus, by the divine appointment, and 
through our faith in it."— Ibid., pp. 230, 231. 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 167 

In answering the objection — '*It makes void 
the value, excellency, and importance of both 
faith and grace" — Mr. Campbell says: ''By no 
means. If a man say, with Paul, we are justi- 
fied by faith, does it follow that grace is made 
void? Or if one say, we are justified by grace, 
does it make the blood of Christ of non-effect? 
Or if, with Paul a man say we are justified by 
his blood, does it make faith, repentance, and 
grace of no effect? Nay, indeed, this gives to 
faith its proper place and its due value. It 
makes it the principle of action. It brings us to 
the water, to Christ, and to heaven. But It is a 
principle of action only. It was not Abel's faith 
in his head or heart, but Abel's faith at the altar 
which obtained such reputation. It was not 
Enoch's faith in principle, but Enoch's faith in 
his loalk with Grod, which translated him to 
heaven. It was not JN'oah's faith in God's 
promise and threatening, but his faith exhibited 
in huilding an ark, wliich saved himself and 
family from the Deluge, and made him an heir of 
a new world, an heir of righteousness. It was 
not Abraham's faith in God's call, but his going 
ofit in obedience to that call, that first distin- 



168 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

guished him as a pilgrim, and began his reputa- 
tion. It was not faith in God's promise that 
Jericho should fall, but that faith carried out in 
the blowing of rams' horns, which laid its walls 
in ruins, &c. It is not our faith in God's 
promise of remission, but our going down into the 
water that obtains the remission of sins ... 
And again, we would remind the reader that, 
when he talks of being saved by faith, he should 
bear in mind that grace is not lost sight of, nor 
blood, nor water, nor reformation discarded." — 
Ibid., p. 232. 

Under the head of ''Conclusion" Mr. Campbell 
says we are not pardoned as were the Jew^s or the 
Patriarchs: ''It was not till Jesus was baried 
and rose again, that an acceptable offering for 
sin was presented in the heavens. By one 
offering up of himself, he has perfected the 
conscience of the immersed or sanctified. Since 
his oblation, a new institution for remission has 
been appointed. You need not flatter yourselves 
that God will save or pardon you except for 
Christ's sake; and if his name is not assumed by 
you, if you have not put him on, if you have not 
come under his advocacy, vou have not the name 



ACTUAL AIS^D FORMAL REMISSIOIST OF SINS. 169 

Christ to plead, nor his intercession on jour 
behalf — and, therefore, for Christ's sake you 
cannot be forgiven. Could Abel, Enoch, Noah, 
Abraham, Moses, Aaron, think you, if living 
now, — could they, I ask, find forgiveness at the 
altar? And will you imagine that he who 
honored every institution by Moses, by connnec- 
ting rewards and punishments with the obedience 
or disobedience of his commands, will be less 
jealous for the honor of the institution of his 
son? And will that son, who, for no other 
purpose than to honor his father's institution, 
was immersed in the Jordan, bestow pardon or 
salvation upon any who refuse to honor him, and 
him that sent him? He has been graciouslv 

CD t, 

pleased to adapt means to ends. He has 
commanded IMMERSION FOR THE REMIS- 
SION OP SINS; and think you that he will 
change his institution, because of j^our stub- 
born, intractable disposition? As well, as reason- 
ably, might you pray for loaves from heaven, or 
manna, because Israel eat in the desert, as to 
praj^ for pardon while you refuse the remission 
of sins by immersion." — Ibid., jjp. 240, 241. 

22 



170 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

Alluding to seven causes of salvation Mr. 
Campbell says: ''If we examine the word saved 
in the New Testament, we shall lind that we are 
said to be saved by as many causes, though some 
of them differently denominated, as those by 
which we are said to be justified. Let us see: we 
are said to be 'saved by grace,' Eph. 2:5; 'saved 
through his life,' 'Rom. 5:9, 10; 'saved through 
faith,' Eph. 2:8, Acts 16:31; 'saved by baptism,' 
1 Peter 3: 21; or 'by faith and baptism,' Mark 
16: 16; or 'by the washing of regeneration and 
renewal of the Holy Spirit,' Titus 3:5; or 'by the 
gospel,' 1 Cor. 15:1; or 'by calling upon the 
Lord,' and by 'enduring to the end,' Acts 2: 21, 
Rom. 10 : 13, Matt. 10 : 22. Here we have salvation 
ascribed to grace, to Jesus Christ, to his death 
and resurrection — three times to baptism, either 
by itself or in conjuction, once with faith and 
once with the Holy Spirit; to works, or to calling 
upon the Lord, or to enduring to the end. To 
these we might add other phrases nearly similar, 
but these include all the causes to which we have 
just now alluded. Saved by grace, the moving 
cause; by Jesus, the efficient cause; by his death, 
and resurrection, and life, the procuring cause; by 



ACTUAL AND FOKMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 171 

the gospel, the disposing cause; by faith, the 
formal cause; by baptism, the iviviediate cause; 
and by enduring to the end, or persevering in the 
Lord, the concurring cause." — Ibid., pp. 248, 
249. 

In 1851 Mr. Campbell published ''Christian 
Baptism, with its Antecedents and Conse- 
quents." In this work he says: ''From the 
apostolic style, one might as reasonably conclude 
that Jesus died because man's sins had been 
remitted, or because the sin of the world had 
been taken away, as that men are to be baptized 
or that John baptized men 'because their sins 
had been remitted.' To take such freedom with 
language, with the language of the Bible, would 
be to make the Avord of God of no effect; or, what 
is the same thing, of no certain interpretation: in 
other words, of no meaning. If goods are laid 
up for the past years — if men buj^ food for those 
who never can use it — if men provide money for 
the expenses of journey's already paid for, — then 
may it be said that John baptized for sins already 
remitted; or that his baptism was for those who 
were already cleansed from their pollutions." — 
Christian Baptism, p. 250. 



172 ACTUAL AND FOEMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

''Baptism, a new institution, is an ordination 
of great significance, and of the most solemn and 
sablime importance. It is a sort of embodiment 
of the gospel ; and a solemn expression of it all 
in a single act. Hence the space and the place 
assigned it in the commission. It is a monu- 
mental and commemorative institution, bodying 
forth to all ages the great facts of man's redemp- 
tion as developed and consummated in the death, 
burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
Hence, immediately upon the first constitutional 
promulgation of it on the part of the Christian 
Lawgiver and Savior, he adds, 'He thai helievetli 
and is baptized shall he saved.'' 

''This has in all past time, and will in all future 
time impart to this institution a solmenity, a 
significance, and an importance which no art or 
ingenuity of corrupted Christianity can long- 
obscure or successfully deface. It will give to it 
an authority and a claim upon the understanding, 
the conscience, and the affections of (he humble 
and the devout, which no sophistry or hardihood 
can weaken or destroy. To associate faith and 
baptism as antecedents, WHOSE CONSEQUENT 
IS SALVATION, no matter what the connection 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 173 

maj' be will alwaj^s impart to the institution a pre- 
eminence above all the other religious institutions 
in the world. The Lord does not say. he that 
believeth and obe^^s this or that moral precept 
shall be saved; but 'He tliat believeth the gospel 
and is baptized shall be saved/ This vprj' 
intelligable and prominent annunciation, just 
before his ascension, greatly explains and justifies 
the new precept promulged by Peter, a few days 
afterwards, when the ascended Lord had sent 
down his Holy Spirit to advocate his cause. 
Peter, after the new light imparted in the 
commission, feared not to say to the inquiring- 
Jews, 'Repent aridhe haptized, eutry one of you, 
in the name of the Lord Jesus^ for the reviisslon 
of sins. ^ Xor did any one, so far as the history 
of the apostolic labors is reported, ever express 
a doubt or an inquiry upon the connection thus 
solemnly established between faith, repentance, 
baptism, and remission or salvation. So far 
from this, that the Apostles frequently allude to 
these subjects in their epistles as though, by 
universal consent, it was understood to be a symbol 
of moral purification — a w^ashing away of sin in 
a figure, declarative of a true and real remission 



174 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSIOIN^ OF SINS. 

of sin — a formal and definite relief of the 
conscience from the feeling of guilt and- all its 
condemnatory poioer. 

"There remains, in the historical books of the 
New Institution, another ver\^ striking evidence 
of the proper design of Christian Baptism. It 
being a change of the verbiage of Peter, and 
from another speaker, and addressed to a great 
sinner, it is peculiarly striking and impressive. 
It is the address of Ananias to Saul of Tarsus, 
than whom had not lived a more fierce and 
hostile spirit opposed to the claims of Jesus of 
Nazareth. When commanded to wait for a 
message from the Lord, Ananias waited upon 
him; and, after a very short introduction, he 
said to Saul of Tarsus, 'Arise, Bro. Saul, and be 
baptized, and loash away thy sins, invoking the 
name of the Lord.' A most ungarded and 
unjustifiable form of address, under the sanction 
of a divine mission, if baptism had not for its 
design t\ie formal and definite remission of sins, 
according to the Pentecostian address. 

''From the express authority and evidence of 
Apostles and Evangelists, without any inferential 
reasoning, we feel constrained to conclude that 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSIOjST OF SINS. 175 

the baptisms of the New Testament, both of John 
and Jesas, were for the true, real, and formal 
remission of sins, through faith in the Messiah, 
and a genuine repentance towards God." — Ibid., 
pp. 257, 258. 

In the McCalla debate, the very book that 
contains Mr. CampbelTs much abused statement 
concerning actual and formal remission of sins, 
he uses the following language : ''He appointed 
baptism to be, to every one that believed the 
record he has given of his Son, a formal pledge 
on his part of that believer s personal acquittal 
or pardon: so significant, and so expressive, that 
when the baptized believer rises out of the 
water, is born of water, enters the w^orld a second 
time, he enters it as innocent, as clean, as 
unspotted, as an angel. His conscience is 
purged from guilt, his body w-ashed with pure 
water, even the washing of regeneration. He 
puts himself under the priesthood of Jesus, 
under his tuition and government. If afterwards 
he sins, through the weakness and corruptness 
of human nature, or the temptation of the 
adversary, he, in the spirit of repentance, comes 
to his Advocate, confesses his fault, and obtains 



176 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

pardon/'— McCalla Debate, p. 137. This 
language is entirely inconsistent with the 
construction that some are trying to force 
upon Mr. Campbell's language concerning actual 
and formal remission; but it is altogether in 
harmony with his own explanation of that 
language, wherein he makes actual mean nothing 
more than provisional or prospective. 

Some time before the Campbell and Rice 
debate, Mr. Campbell and Dr. Fishback 
conducted a discussion in the Millenial 
Harbinger on the subject of baptism for the 
remission of sins, in which Dr. Fishback says : 
''The essential point of difference between you 
and me is suggested in the following question : 
Is, or is not, the free favor of God, by which he 
justifies the believing sinner, or remits his sins, 
through the blood of Christ, suspended, accord- 
ing to the Gospel, upon his being baptized in 
water? You defend the affirmative, and I main- 
tain the negative side of the question.'' To this 
Mr. Campbell responds as follows: ''Now, let me 
tell you that I maintain the negative too. So 
we are both agreed ! Because, mark me closely, 
I do admit that a person who believes the Gospel, 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. ]77 

and cannot be immersed, may obtain remission'^ 
Here, instead of saying that every believer has 
actual remission, and is, therefore, actually 
saved, he says that a believer who cannot be 
immersed, may obtain remission. This is a very 
different doctrine from that which some are 
trying to thrust upon him. 

Perhaps \Yalter Scott was the lirst man who 
distinctly and unqualifiedly proclaimed baptism 
for the remission of sins, in the restoration 
movement. In commenting upon some remarks 
made hj Bishop Hobart, of New York, on this 
subject, he says : ''The excellent Bishop makes 
baptism a right of admission to the Christian 
church, regeneration, a title to remission and the 
Holy Spirit, and to all the precious things of 
Christ. He says it is the only mode of 
covenanting with God; the only mode of 
obtaining christian blessings and privileges, 
without which we cannot assert any claim to 
salvation. Now, in all this, Avhere is it that the 
Bishop is at fault ? Is not baptism the right of 
admission ? Or are men in the Christian church 
antecedently to their baptism ? Does not the 
Son of the Eternal protest that, unless we are 

22 



178 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

'born of water and spirit' we cannot enter into 
his kingdom ? And is this regeneration which 
the Bishop speaks of, of a higher and more 
sacred mystery in the Christian institute than 
'being born again?' Or are they not the same 
thing ? Surely they are the very same thing. 
Does anyone know any other mode for poor, 
sinful, fallen man, to covenant with his God, and 
obtain a right to the privileges of Christianity ? 
We know none; and believe that, when preceded 
hj faith and repentance, baptism is all that the 
Bishop says it is; and, with the Bishop, we also 
believe, that without it faith and repentance do 
not warrant a man in the presence of God 'to 
assert any claim to salvation.' Moreover, we 
believe that baptism without faith and 
repentance is just as unavailing and useless as 
faith and repentance are without it. These three 
things God has joined together, and no man may 
put asunder or disorder them. " 

On account of such teaching as this Mr. Scott 
was greatly abused and misrepresented. He was 
accused of attributing to the water of baptism a 
virtue akin to that of the blood of Christ. This 
and other false charges went far and near. 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 179 

Alexander Campbell heard of them, and, 
thinking that Mr. Scott's zeal might have led 
him to undue extremes, he sent his father, 
Thomas Campbell, into Mr. Scott's field of labor 
to investigate the matter. Having spent 
considerable time upon the ground investigating 
current rumors and hearing Mr. Scott preach, 
and becoming satisfied that the rumors were 
incorrect, and that Mr. Scott's preaching was 
entirely in harmony with the teaching of 
Scripture, the venerable and pious man of God 
wrote to his son as follows : 

'"I perceive that theory and practice in religion, 
as well as in other things, are matters of distinct 
consideration. It is one thing to know 
concerning the art of fishing — for instance, the 
rod, the line, the hook, and the bate, too; and 
quite another thing to handle them dextrously 
when thrown into the water, so as to make it 
take. Wt^ have long known the former (the 
theory), and have spoken and published many 
things correctly concerning the ancient gospel, 
its simplicity and perfect adaptation to the 
present state of mankind, for the benign and 
gracious purposes of his immediate relief and 



180 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

complete salvation; bnt I must confess that, in 
respect to the direct exhibition and application 
of it for that blessed purpose, I am at present for 
the first time upon the ground where the thing 
has appeared to be practically exhibited to the 
proper purpose. . . Mr. Scott has made a bold 
push to accomplish this object, by simply and 
boldly stating the ancient gospel, and insisting 
upon it; and then by putting the question 
generally and particularly to males and females, 
old and young: Will you come to Christ and 
be baptized for the remission of your sins and 
the gift of the Holy Spirit? Don't you believe 
this blessed gospel? Then come away." — 
Baxter's Life of Walter Scott, pp. 157, 158, 159. 
All of this teaching commended itself to the 
approval of the Campbells, father and son, in 
1828. At that time these men entertained no 
such notion as the distinction of actual and 
formal remission, as that expression has recently 
been interpreted. 

In the beginning Mr. Scott was careful to 
express the doctrine of baptism for the remission 
of sins in the formula used in baptizing. The 
following is taken from a magazine which he 



ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 181 

began to publish in 1832: ''The words of the 
Administrator at the restoration of Baptism for 
the remission of sins, were 'For the remission of 
your sins by the precious blood of Christ, and 
for the gift of the Holy Spirit; I immerse you into 
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
Holy Spirit. Amen.' The reason why he used 
the w^ords 'precious blood of Christ,' was, that 
the spectators, many of whom would not attend 
preaching, might understand, that although 
Baptism was the time, place and ordinance in 
w^hich God was pleased to impart forgiveness to 
the truly pentinent, yet the blood of Christ was, 
in reality, the procuring cause of remission." — 
Evangelist, Vol. 1, p. 60. 

This was the general understanding among the 
brethren at that time, as is manifest from the 
following language: ^'Brethren, the ancient mode 
of administering the gospel, and the bond of 
union in the church, have been restored, through 
the mercy of God and of Jesus Christ, our Lord. 
An immediate and personal acquittal from sins, 
through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, is now 
brought to every man's door; a prompt salvation 
from the guilt and power of sin, is now held out 



182 ACTUAL AND FORMAL REMISSION OF SINS. 

to all penitents, and the willing converts taken 
down into the pure water, and immersed for 
remission of sins by the high authority of the 
word of God, are filled with joy and the Holy 
Spirit. The restoration of the ancient gospel, 
has shed a rich light over a thousand subjects 
connected with the present and past fortunes of 
Christianity. It forms a point, at which, relig- 
ious truth and error, are brought into strong 
contrast. On the side of the disciples, all now is 
light on the great matters of Remission and the 
Holy Spirit; perplexity has vanished and there is 
scarce a shade of difference in the sentiments of 
the disciples on these points.'' — Ibid., p. 18. 

It is overwhelmingly certain that Mr. Camp- 
bell was in perfect harmony with his compeers 
and associates as regards baptism for remission 
of sins, and that he never did hold the abstract 
speculation in regard to actual and formal remis- 
sion, that has recent! v been attributed to him. 



APPENDIX A. 



L. B. WILKES AND BAPTISM FOR REMISSION OF SINS. 

In view of the fact that some writers are 
attempting to thrust their vain and barren phil- 
osophy upon the teaching of L. B. Wilkes, it is 
thought proper in this place to show that that 
noble man of God never taught that an alien's 
sins are forgiven in any sense before baptism. 
This is a matter of personal knowledge with this 
writer, resulting from many years of most inti- 
mate and fraternal association. We were with 
each other frequently in debating with various 
representatives of the denominations, and in 
three debates held by Bro. Wilkes I was associ- 
ated with him as a member of his advisory 
council. In these most intimate associations we 
carefully discussed every phase and feature of 
the question of Baptism for the remission of sins; 
and I positively know that he did not entertain 
the view that has recently been attributed to 

183 



184 L. B. WILKES AND BAPTISM 

liim. Not one of his own brethren who heard 
him in his debates, no man with whom he ever 
debated, not one of the preachers of the denomi- 
nations, who listened to him in his debates, ever 
received from him the faintest impression that a 
believer is pardoned in any sense before baptism. 
But it is exceedingly fortunate that this matter 
does not depend upon the testimony of living 
witnesses. In plain and forceful language Bro. 
Wilkes himself, while living, positively and 
emphatically repudiated this idea. A few years 
before his death he published a book entitled 
''Designs of Christian Baptism," in which, in 
language remarkable for its lucidity and force- 
fulness, he sets forth his views on this subject 
both positively and negatively — telling us what 
he believed and what he did not believe 
concerning it. 

But before proceeding to show what his views 
were, it is deemed fair and proper to cite the 
brief statement that has been made the occasion 
of a most conspicuous and unwarrantable misrep- 
resentation of his teaching: ''The act of remit- 
ting sins is one that takes jjlace with God. It is 
his own act, and takes place, first, in his own 



FOR KEMISSION OF SINS. 185 

mind, and we are certified of that fact only when 
and as he may please to make it know^n to us." — 
Louisville Debate, p. 205. With this condensed 
statement, and with one word in it — ''first" — 
efforts have been made to show that Bro. AVilkes 
held the idea that a believer's sins are forgiven 
before baptism. The statement is contained in 
the introductory speech in which the speaker 
w^as setting forth in a general way the doctrine of 
his proposition, leaving specific argumentation to 
come afterwards. There is nothing in the state- 
ment to suggest to an unbiased mind that ''the 
act of remitting sins" takes place in the mind of 
God before a believer is baptized. It simply 
declares that it takes placej^r^^ in the mind of God, 
but whether that is before, in, or after baptism, 
is left for subsequent explanation. The first 
step in the argument is to remove objections to 
the doctrine that baptism is for the remission of 
sins. The first objection assailed is the one based 
upon what may be called the faith passages 
— the passages that predicate justification, 
eternal life, freedom from condemnation, etc., of a 
believer. 

Bro. AYilkes states the objection thus: "Now, 

24 



186 L. B. WILKES AND BAPTISM 

our opponents say, and I confess with a show of 
reason, that if it be true that 4ie that believeth 
on him is not condemned,' it would follow, that 
just as soon as a man believes on him, he is not 
condemned; that is, that he is pardoned. And, 
if it be true that faith, as I teach, precedes 
baptism, and if we are not condemned, or are 
forgiven at the moment of faith, the forgiveness 
would seem to come before baptism, and, there- 
fore, baptism is not for the remission of sins. 
This is putting the case fairly, as my friend will 
not deny." — Ibid., p. 210. Let it be observed 
that in meeting this objection Bro. Wilkes is 
refuting and repudiating the idea that remission 
comes before baptism. Having quoted John 
1 : 11, 12, he says: ''Now, the clear sense of that 
passage is, that the one who believes on Jesus 
Christ, tJienli^s the privilege of hecoming a son 
of Grod. But, clearly, what a man has the privi- 
lege of hecoming^ he is not already; and if, at 
the moment of believing, he then has the privi- 
lege of becoming the son of God, he is not 
already a son of Grod ; and if not a son, then, of 
course, his sins are not forgiven. . . . It 
would seem, then, to follow, that when a man 



FOR KEMISSIOIS^ OF SINS. 187 

believes on the Lord Jesas Christ, he is not 

already forgiven From these 

passages I have presented (and I have presented 
them fairly, I think), it would seem that a man 
is not justiHed, that a man is not pardoned, at the 
moment in which he is first a believer." — Ibid., 
pp. 211, 212. This demonstrates that when Bro. 
Wilkes said that remission takes place ''first'' 
in the mind of Gfod, he did not mean that it takes 
place when one is ''first'' a believer. Having 
quoted John 3 : 5, he says: ''It means, substan- 
tially, that unless a man is born again, including 
'and is baptized,' he cannot have remission of 
sins." All of this is contained in the very 
speech which embraces the statement that has 
been twisted into teaching that remission takes 
place in the mind of God before bai)tism. 

But let careful attention now be given to some 
clear, strong,, and emphatic statements contained 
in the book mentioned in the third preceding 
paragraph : "The reader is requested to note 

carefully and to bear in mind constantly that I 

I- t/ 

do not hold, and that I do not attempt, in the 
following pages, to prove that baptism has any 
virtue in itself to take away sins. God, only, 



188 L. B WILKES AND BAPTISM 

has power on earth to forgive sins. Therefore, 
when I say : Baptism is for remission of sins, I 
do not mean that it does the forgiving, but that 
God forgives the sinner's sins in it\ or, that God 
has put baptism, as a condition precedent, to the 
remission of sins." — Designs of Christian 
Baptism, pp. 13, 14. This most clearly indicates 
that, in Bro. Wilkes' opinion, G^odi first forgives 
the sinner's sins in baptism. Again : ''Of 
course it is not ourselves nor the ordinance that 
does the remitting. God does this, but He does 
it on his own terms. N^ow, that we might know 
that He has done it, and when He did it. He has 
said that if we should, being already qualified in 
head and heart, be baptized or turn to God, He 
would forgive us. We see, then, that in the 
nature of the case, and as shown in many plain 
passages of Scripture, baptism is for remission of 
sins." — Ibid., p. 34. This shows that God first 
forgives the believer when he is baptized. 

When Bro. Wilkes comes to give the meaning 
of the proposition, ''Baptism is for remission of 
sins," he says: "I mean by it: 1. That God 
has a laio for the forgiveness of sins; 2. That 
the sinner, who is responsible for compliance 



FOR REMISSION OF SINS. 189 

with the law, is not pardoned till be complies; 
3. That baptism is in tiiis law of God. I mean 
to assert that the predicate of the proposition is, 
by the will of God, so related to the subject that 
it must be affirmed of it and not denied. I mean 
that remission of sins is conditioned, in the law 
of God, upon being baptized. I mean that, one 
of the purposes or designs of being baptized is, 
remission of sins." — Ibid., p. 57. In this 
particular and itemized definition no hint is given 
of two remissions — one before and the other in 
baptism. That idea never found its w^ayinto the 
mind of the great logician as his own. Further : 
''The question: In what sense was he (Paul) 
pardoned when he was baptized ? is hardly 
important here, for he was not pardoned, IN 
ANY SENSE, so far as the record shows, till he 
w^as baptized. The record shows that he was 
then forgiven. The record does not give the 
slightest intimation, even, that the sins of his, 
till then, past life were not then remitted, or that 
they ever came up against him after this." — 
Ibid., p. 197. Here is a plain and emphatic 
declaration that a believer's sins are not pardoned 
in any sense before baptism. And yet the 



190 L. B. WILKES AISTD BAPTISM 

attempt has been made to show that the author 
of this declaration, held that a sinners sins are 
forgiven in the most important sense— the real 
and actual sense — before baptism ! 

Under the head of ''Some Strange Things" 
Bro. Wilkes says : ''The theory that some are 
seeking to establish, that the sinner may know, 
on general principles, that he is pardoned, is 
hardly true. God has not left a matter of so 
grave importance to be inferred from general 
13rinciples. Is one in the kingdom of God ? 
Then he has been born of water and Spirit; or, 
he has believed and been baptized, for so the 
hmguage signilies. Would one be saved? Let 
him believe and be baptized and he shall be 
saved. Or, has one believed and been baptized ? 
he is saved. The one who has heard and has 
learned of the Father so that he is pricked to the 
heart and wishes to know what he must do to be 
saved (and no one else reallj^ wishes to know), is 
told to repent and be baptized. Thus plainly, 
definitely, does God speak on this point. There 
are no deductions of any sort to be made. After 
such talk from God, it is strange that one should 
wish to refine on statements made so plain in the 



FOR REMISSION OF SINS. 191 

word of God. Indeed, thev are the words of God. 
Of course, the case is still more strange, of the one 
who, seeing these plain statements, should set 
them aside, should declare that the end that God 
offers may he gained, must he gained without the 
use of God's means appointed for that end. 
This is strange. 

"A gaunt, lean theory, to the effect that if one 
only believes he is saved, has a large currency 
among large bodies of denominational christians, 
though it has no countenance whatever in the 
word of God. Again, it is claimed that if only 
the heart has experienced a strange impulse 
(and the more strange the better), which the one 
having it thinks is from God, and by which he 
thiiiks God meant to say to him that his sins 
were pardoned, then such one may rest in 
security, though God has not anywhere made the 
slightest allusion to such truth or fact. Is not 
this strange ? . . . 

''But of all the strange things talked of, 
written, or spoken of among religious people, 1 
think, the strangest one is that a demand, even 
an earnest demand for a strict adherence to the 
word of God; that insistence upon a faithful 



192 L. B. WILKES AND BAPTISM 

'walking in all the commandments and 
ordinances of the Lord, blameless,' should be 
looked npon by any soul that has tasted the good 
word of God and the powers of the world to 
come, as evidence of legalism, or of 
sacramentarianism. Possibly, I should beg 
pardon for saying that I believe that the soul 
that in singleness of heart, that in deep love for 
Jesus, and that in faith and prayer yearns to 
kyiow all that God would have it do, that strives 
with all its might to do all that God has called 
upon it to do, and that mourns in deepest sorrow 
when it finds that it has failed in respect to even 
one of the least of God's commandments, is very 
near to having attained to the best culture and 
highest refinements pertaining to the Kingdom 
of God. Legalism ! Let it not be named in 
such connection. . . ^ 

''A somewhat new^ view, and one not easy to 
satisfactorily discuss, is that baptism is in order 
to remission of sins; but that one's sins, or at 
least a part of them, are remitted when one 
believes, and also when one repents, as well. 
What causes this view to be difficult to treat, 
profitably, is the fact that it is not, or it has not 



AND KEMISSION OF SINS. 198 

been distinctly outlined by its advocates. Just 
l^recisely what the idea of the friends of this 
view is, seems to me not to be quite definitely 
stated. . . If faith is in order to the immediate 
remission of sins, if repentance is for the 
immediate remission of sins, if confession or 
I)rayer is for the immediate remission of sins, and 
if baptism is for remission of the sins of an alien 
sinner, it seems to follow^ that the sins of such an 
one are forgiven in parcels. That is, a i)art of 
one's sins are forgiven w^hen he believes, another 
part when he repents, etc. Is this theory true ? 

1 believe it is not. . . . 

''Does the Bible teach directly or bj" necessary 
implication that one's sins — an alien's sins — are 
remitted, a part now, again another, etc. ? I 
believe it does not. But do not the Scriptures 
say, or imply, that faith is for remission of the 
sins of an alien ? And that repentance is for 
remission also ? I believe they do. In regard to 
faith read Luke 8 : 12, John 3 : 15, 16, 18, 86. In 
regard to repentance read Acts 11:18, 20, 21; 

2 : 38; 2 Cor. 7 : 10, et al. A careful study of 
these and other like passages in their connections 
will make it clear that both faith and repentance 
are for remission of sins. 25 



194 L. B. WILKES AJSTD BAPTISM 

"If it were the intention of one to say, in 
Greek, that faith or repentance is for forgiveness 
of sins in the sense of its (either of them) being a 
step in that direction, or a move towards that 
end, with the implication that remission of sins 
is an end to be reached, he would employ the 
language found in the New Testament to express 
the idea that faith, etc., is for remission of sins. 
If this be true, and there is no doubt of it, then 
it does not follow that, where it is said that 
anything is a condition of remission of sins, we 
have proof therein that one' s sins are actually 
remitted at the time or moment of 7iis 
heliemng 

''The position, that an alien, when he has faith, 
and as soon as he has it, obtains remission of 
sins, and when he repents he again has a real 
experience of remission of sins, and when he is 
baptized he has another real experience of the 
remission of sins, involves the conclusion that 
the forgiveness of the sins of an alien comes to 
him in parcels or installments. This conclusion 
is based on the false theory that where the 
Greek preposition eis is followed by remission, 
and is preceded by faith, etc., then we must 



FOR REMISSIOiS^ OF SINS. 196 

believe that the remission, or a part of it, comes 
iminediately upon the possession of the faith, 
and, therefore, before and without any other 
condition. 

''But the ground of this conclusion is not 
true. It often occurs as to matters both temporal 
and sj)iritual, that one believes but goes no 
further, and hence he is not blessed. The step 
taken toioards the blessing was essential to 
obtaining it, but if it is left by itself and while it 
is alone it is dead; it is of no value. If it be said 
that, of course, a dead faith is valueless, but 
that a warm, vital, or living faith has an 
immediate blessing in itself, I would say in 
reply, yes, but no faith is warm, vital, or living, 
while it is alone ox until it proceeds to do 'HIS 
commandments,' to the utmost of one's ability." 
—Ibid., pp. 265, 266, 269, 273, 274, 275, 277, 278. 

In the foregoing extracts Bro. Wilkes plainly, 
forcibly, emphatically and repeatedly repudiates 
and disproves the notion that one's sins are 
forgiven anywhere or in any sense before 
baptism. In these extracts he treats the matter 
negatively. In the following quotation he treats 
the matter positiveh^, showing what blessing a 



196 L. B. WILKES AIS^D BAPTISM 

true believer does immediately receive and 
enjoy : 

"There is, indeed, an immediate blessing for one 
having such faith as above mentioned, hut it is 
7iot forgiveness of sins. It is the joy of a heart 
conscious of an intelligent, fixed purpose, having 
started, to walk on in the way of the life of God 
to the end. One who has so started out in the 
Divine Life, does, by faith, almost see the glories, 
the unfolding beauty and the sweet blessed- 
ness of eternal life at his very first ste[). Let no 
one suppose that I am here contemplating such 
an abortion of faith as is often had in meetings 
where members count for more than souls saved, 
and where the mode of success is a sort of whoop- 
up, hurrah, whip-in proceeding. 

''When I was a young man I was often absent 
from home and loved ones for years at a time. 
But, so soon as I resolved to visit them, and 
made the first step in that direction, my joys 
began. The joys were quite real, and very great, 
but they were joys born of anticipation, not of 
the actual possession of the grounds of said 
happiness. So it is when the lost sinner comes 
to believe that God is, and is a rewarder of them 



FOR REMISSION OF SINS. 197 

that seek after him; when he comes to obtain, 
through faith, a look at the love of God, the 
sufferings of Jesus for him; and when he comes 
to see the way open through the blood of the 
covenant to the joys of the endless life; and 
when he hears the sweet persuasions of Jesus: 
'Come unto me and I will give you rest,' when 
the sinner comes to see and to believe all this and 
determines to walk in all 4iis commandments, 
blameless, as far as he possibly can, he does not 
have to wait till he gets to heaven in order to be 
happy. He is already happy. So I see things, 
''xlccording to some misconceptions of some 
very good but misguided people, the happiness 
above mentioned is religion quite enough for 
them; they are pardoned they know% for they 
felt it. They know also that at the time wiien 
they had faith, only, they were forgiven. The 
true theory is that faith is {eis) for salvation 
because it is a necessary step lying betw^een the 
unbelieving sinner and salvation. When one 
has believed he has made a move towards salva- 
tion; and the move towards salvation had for its 
final objective point, 'remission of sins', the being 
'inhim^^ or 'salvation'. The same may be said 



198 L. B. WILKES AIS^D BAPTISM 

of, or as to, repentance. When one is baptized 
the last move is made, the last step is taken that 
leads to the forgiveness of the alien siner's 
sins. . . . What we have herein said in 
regard to the topic in hand is written wholly in 
deference to the worthy authors thereof, not 
because I feel constrained to admit that it 
possesses real merit." — Ibid., pp. 278, 280. 

Thus it is made perfectly plain that Bro. 
Wilkes not only did not hold the idea of actual 
remission in the mind of God before baptism, 
but expressly repudiated it and said that it is 
without merit. And yet, in the face of this 
overwhelming testimony, efforts have been made 
to fasten upon him this barren and unscriptural 
speculation. 



APPENDIX B 



BAPTISM FOR REMISSION OF SINS IN EARLY 
CHURCH HISTORY. 

It would be interesting and instructive to 

notice the sentiment that prevailed in the church 

during the early centuries of the Christian era, 

on this subject. The testimony of ancient 

writers is full and unanimous as to the design of 

baptism. We begin with the testimony of 

Her mas, whose writings were held in highest 

esteem by Christian people of those times. There 

is some doubt as to the identity of this man. For 

a good while the idea prevailed that he was the 

Hermas spoken of by Paul in the letter to the 

Romans. This is probably a mistake, but 

unquestionably this writer lived at an early day. 

Bishop Cox, editor of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, 

Christian Literature edition, says: ''The Pastor 

of Hermas must have been written at an early 

period. The fact that it was recognized by 

199 



200 BAPTISM FOR EEMISSION OF SINS 

Irenaeus as Scripture shows that it must have 
been in circuhition long before his time. The 
most probable date assigned to its composition is 
the reign of Hadrian, or of Antoninus Pius." Not 
only did Irenaeus regard these writings as 
inspired, but they were so regarded by Clemens 
Alexandrinus and Origen; and as these promi- 
nent waiters regarded them in that light, it is 
just about certain that they were so regarded by 
Christians generally. Attention is drawn to this 
fact for the purpose of indicating that the teach- 
ing of his writings was regarded as correct and 
apostolic. Here is what he says on the subject 
before us: ''And I said to him, 'I should like to 
continue my questions.' 'Speak on', said he. 
And I said, 'I heard, sir, some teachers maintain 
that there is no other repentence than that which 
takes place, when we descended into the water 
and received remission of our former sins'. He 
said to me, *That w^as sound doctrine which you 
heard; for that is reallj^ the case. For he who 
has received remission of his sins ought not to 
sin any more, but to live in purity.' '' — Ante- 
Nicene Fathers. This clearly show^s that the 
doctrine of baptism for the remission of sins was 



IN EARLY CHURCH HISTORY. 201 

generally entertained by the disciples at that time. 
The testimonj^ of Barnabas comes next. This 
writer lived near the beginning of the second 
centnr3\ He speaks as follows on this subject: 
''Mark how he has described at once both the 
water and the cross. For these words imply, 
Blessed are they who placing their trust in the 
cross, have gone down into the water; for, says 
He, thej^ shall receive their reward in due time: 
then he declares, I will recompense them. But 
now He saith, 'Their leaves shall not fade' . This 
meaneth, that every word that proceedeth out of 
your mouth in faith and love shall tend to bring 
conversion and hope to many. Again, another 
prophet saith, 'And the land of Jacob shall be 
extolled above everv land'. This meaneth the 
vessel of His Spirit, which He shall glorify. 
Further, what savs he? 'And there was a river 
flowing on the right, and from it arose beautiful 
trees; and whosoever shall eat of them shall live 
forever'. This meaneth, that we indeed descend 
into the water full of sins and defilement, but 
come up, bearing fruit in our heart, having the 
fear (of God) and trust in Jesus in our Spirit. 
Ibid., Yol. 1, p. 144. 

26 



?? 



202 BAPTISM FOK REMISSIOlNr OF SIIN^S 

We will next hear Clemens Alexandrinus who 
wrote towards the close of the second century. 
He says: ''And such as is the union of the Word 
with baptism, is the agreement of milk with 
water; for it receives it alone of all liquids, and 
admits of mixture with water, for the purpose of 
cleansing, as baptism for the remission of sins." — 
Ibid., Vol. 2, p. 222. 

We will next hear Tertullian who wrote about 
ihe beginning of the third century. Arguing 
against infant baptism, he says: ''Let them 
'come,' then, while they are growing up; let them 
'come' while they are learning, while they are 
learning whither to come; let them become 
christians when they have become able to know 
Christ. Why does the innocent period of life 
hasten to the 'remission of sins?' " — Ibid., Vol. 
3, p. 678. 

Let us now give attention to the testimony of 
Cyprian who lived during the first half of the 
third century. Arguing in favor of infant 
baptism, this writer says : "But if any thing- 
could hinder men from obtaining grace, their 
more henious sins might rather hinder those who 
are mature and grown up and older. But again, 



IN EARLY CHURCH HISTORY. 203 

if even to tlie greatest sinners, and to those who 
have sinned much against God, when they 
subsequently believed, remission of sins is 
granted — and nobody is hindered from baptism 
and from grace — how much rather ought we to 
shrink from hindering an infant, who, being 
lately born, has not sinned, except in that, being 
born after the flesh according to Adam, he has 
contracted the contagion of the ancient death at 
its earliest birth, who approaches the more easily 
on this account to the reception of the forgiveness 
of sins — that to him are remitted, not his own 
sins, but the sins of another."" — Ibid., Vol. 5, 
p. 354. 

The following quotation is from the Clementine 
Homilies which were -probably written about the 
close of the third century: "And this is the 
service he has appointed : To worship him only, 
and trust only in the Prophet of truth, and to be 
baptized for the remission of sins, and thus by 
this pure baptism to be born again unto God by 
saving water." — Ibid., Vol. 8, p. 269. 

Origen was perhaps the most prolific and 
influential writer of the fourth century. His 
testimony is as follows : ''Besides all this, let it 
be considered, what is the reason that whereas 



204 BAPTISM FOR REMISSION OF SINS 

the baptism of the church is given for forgiveness 
of sins, infants also are by the usage of the 
church baptized : when if there were nothing in 
infants that wanted forgiveness and mercy, the 
grace of baptism would be needless to them. . . 
Having occasion given in this place, I will 
mention a thing that causes frequent inquiries 
among the brethren. Infants are baptized for 
the forgiveness of sins. Of what sins ? Or when 
have they sinned ? Or how can any reason of 
the laver in their case hold good, but according 
to that sense that we mentioned even now : none 
is free from pollution, though his life be but of the 
length of one day upon the earth? And it is for 
that reason because by the sacrament of baptism 
the pollution of our birth is taken away, that 
infants are baptized.'' — Wall on Infant Baptism, 
Vol. 1, p. 65. 

Thus we find that, while many corruptions 
began to be practiced in connection with baptism, 
the idea of baptism for the remission of sins, 
which began with Christ and the apostles, and is 
most clearly set forth in the New Testament 
continued on through these early centuries 
without a discordant note or a dissenting 
voice. 



MAY 1 r,?ju 



